


Baby, You're A Rich Man

by Mithranqueer



Category: The Beatles (Band)
Genre: 1960s, Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Blow Jobs, Choking, Daddy Kink, Dirty Talk, Dom George, Dom/sub, Drug Use, Drunk Sex, Eventual Romance, First Time, Gangsters, Hamburg, Happy Ending, Homophobia, M/M, Rough Sex, Sexuality Crisis, Slow Burn, Smut, Sub Ringo, Sugar Daddy, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:14:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 28
Words: 98,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24355657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mithranqueer/pseuds/Mithranqueer
Summary: Ringo could never understand why that group of three boys made him feel so uncomfortable, or why the way George looked at him sent him into a panic. After a chance encounter Ringo discovers the truth and has no clue what to do with the information.
Relationships: George Harrison/Ringo Starr, John Lennon/Paul McCartney
Comments: 179
Kudos: 199





	1. Orders and Rewards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's another normal day at work, but this time Ringo has to serve that strange group of boys that everyone is so wary around. There's certainly something strange about them, especially the one with the dark eyes and sharp features.

Ringo had been working as a waiter for almost a year now, but that had never been his plan, he wanted to work long enough to afford a proper drum kit so he could really start his music career but when he finally met this goal a couple of months ago he realised he couldn't quit and focus solely on drumming or else he couldn't afford to live; working took up so much of his time he was often too exhausted to even practice by the time he got home, and so he felt trapped with no real end in sight. He didn't mind his job, it was a family run business with a small staff which meant he could get really friendly with everyone and he was never short on hours. All sorts of people visited the place at all times of the day and Ringo had gotten to know many of the regulars quite well, out of all the jobs he could've had he was happy he was at least stuck with this one. It was just after the lunch rush and Ringo was going around cleaning the tables as the building emptied more and more, only a couple of loners sitting by the windows finishing their coffee. Then, the bell rang and Ringo turned to see who was coming in to order and he was met with three familiar faces; Ringo had seen this group of boys quite a few times recently but they weren't like the rest of the regulars, they didn't speak to the staff much and always seemed to hush their conversation anytime they were approached. They were young, probably around Ringo's age, and were always in matching black suits and they were always together. The three of them took a booth in the corner, as far away from anyone else as they could get, and were laughing continuously. Ringo had an uneasy feeling about them as he wasn't even sure what their names were and he couldn't help feeling that there was more to them than met the eye. Nonetheless he approached their table to take their order and just as Ringo predicted they stopped their conversation almost immediately as though they didn't want anyone overhearing them. 

"What'll it be lads?" Ringo asked, putting on a friendly face despite his underlying discomfort. The boys didn't look particularly menacing, one of them had a very soft and friendly face, but Ringo couldn't rid himself of his gut feeling that there was something fishy about them. 

"Soup, please." The one closest to Ringo spoke, the one with the soft face, with a small smile as he handed his menu back. 

"What soup would you like? We've got quite a few." Ringo chuckled awkwardly. 

"Any old will do." Another spoke now, he was the one Ringo felt most uncomfortable about due to his piercing eyes and very serious expression. Ringo collected his menu too and looked over to the third boy who appeared to be very engrossed in his menu as he furrowed his brow and pouted his lips slightly. 

"I think I'll have..." He began and Ringo could see he was squinting at the words as though he needed glasses "The soup!" He finally said which warranted a chuckle from the other two. 

"Three soups it is then." Ringo smiled and collected the final menu, as he turned away to walk to the kitchen he let out a sigh of relief, there was just something about them that made him so tense. 

He returned to the table a few minutes later with their order and as he approached he could see one of them, the intense one as Ringo had nicknamed him, glaring at him the entire time which did wonders for Ringo's anxiety. 

"Here you are." Ringo tried his best to put on his customer service voice "Let me know if I can get you anything else." 

The soft one smiled at Ringo politely and the seemingly blind one thanked him, the other remaining silent until he turned to walk away "What's your name?" He asked, startling Ringo who stiffened before turning around with a fake smile. 

"It's Ringo." He said, tapping his name badge which he was very proud of - his previous jobs had insisted on calling him Richard, which he hated with a passion. 

The boy scoffed "How'd you end up with a name like that?" He wasn't being rude, brash would have been a better word, and the way the other two boys almost took no notice made Ringo think this was merely the boy's way of making conversation. 

"Well, my name's actually Richard but my friends gave me the nickname on account of all the rings I wear. Not right now o'course, can't wear them at work." Ringo forced another smile as he displayed his bare hands with a wiggle of his fingers which made the soft boy chuckle. 

"I see." Was all the boy said in return as he turned his attention to his soup, showing no sign of wanting to continue the rather odd conversation. 

Ringo stood there for a beat, unsure as to whether he should walk away or not as there was something compelling him to stand his ground. "What's yours?" Ringo asked finally, fiddling with his tray. 

The boy looked up with a devilish grin, exposing a very sharp canine tooth which Ringo was strangely fascinated by. "George." He replied, his voice seemed softer than before "This is Paul, and that's John." He gestured lazily with his spoon as the others gave him a little smile and a nod. 

Ringo responded with a smile, a genuine one this time, and backed away to serve another customer. The group of boys stayed for quite a while after finishing their food and Ringo kept gazing over to them to see what they were doing and oftentimes he'd find one of them looking back at him, usually George, but they never called him over to order anything else, they just sat laughing and smoking. When Ringo went out for his lunch break they were still sat there and he gave them a sneaky glance through the window as he walked past to see them collecting their things. He often went home for lunch as he only lived a couple streets away and the weather was never really nice enough to sit outside for an hour. Besides, it was a perfect time for him to get some drum practice in while he still could, he was finishing late tonight and he swore to himself that he'd never play after 9 because the last thing he needed was getting kicked out for pissing off the neighbours. 

When he returned to work after his break his colleague called him over "Oi, Ringo. Those shifty lads left this tip for you. I considered knicking it but they were proper intense about me giving it to you and I don't need that bad karma." He joked, handing Ringo a £20 note to his surprise. 

"20 quid? All I did was give them bloody soup." Ringo chuckled, taking the money happily and stuffing it deep into his pocket "God knows what those guys do for work." 

"Fuck knows is more like it. They give me the creeps, but if they're dishing out tips like that I'll do a sodding handstand for them if they asked." He joked again, pushing past Ringo to continue serving customers. 

Ringo felt very pleased with himself even though he knew that he shouldn't really, after all he had only asked their names. Part of him felt even more uneasy about the group but was hoping they might pay another visit if they were going to continue to be that generous; he was certain he'd never heard about them tipping so much before but then again he'd never served them and he wondered what all this was about. 

* * *

Almost a week had passed before Ringo saw those boys again and he had begun to forget about them, he figured they had moved on to another place and he could forget about getting an extra £20 every week, which he didn't desperately need but it certainly wouldn't go unappreciated. It was 9pm on a Saturday when they returned, Ringo was pretty exhausted after working another 12 hour shift and was watching the clock desperately for it to strike 10. He was in the back chatting with one of the chefs when his co-worker walked in with a cheeky smile.

"Those lads are back." He said looking directly at Ringo "Best hurry up before I take that juicy tip from you." 

"Ha ha." Ringo said sarcastically as he headed back into the restaurant, scanning the room until he saw them again sat in the same booth in the same black suits. 

Ringo walked over with a smile yet again, he wondered if he could possibly get any more money out of them if he really pushed the boat out "Alright lads, what can I get for you?" 

They were all silent for a few moments, Paul and John looking at the menu intensely while George just looked at Ringo which suddenly reminded him why he had been so wary of them in the first place. 

"What would you recommend?" George asked, his eyes were so dark that Ringo struggled to read any emotion in them at all. 

"Um..." He was at a loss for words to begin with, the other two didn't even seem to take notice of their friend "Personally I can't eat a lot of the stuff off the menu, but everyone seems to love the pizza." He forced another smile, gripping on to his pen and notepad tightly. 

"Can't eat? Is it that bad?" George snickered, his gaze unwavering. 

"Oh no, I-I've got a lot of allergies you see." He chuckled nervously "You probably have a better idea how good the food is than I do." 

"Alright then, we'll get a pizza between us them won't we lads?" George's grin returned as the other two looked up, seemingly unbothered and unfocused, nodding without saying a word. "Do you do beer?" George asked, turning his attention back to Ringo, who nodded "Fab, we'll take three largers then."

Ringo collected their menus silently, unable to meet George's gaze who continued to look at him until he disappeared into the kitchen. Ringo's colleague gave him a nudge as he passed him but he felt too out of it to respond, what was it about them that was so unsettling? No, it wasn't them, it was just George; had the other two been alone Ringo was sure he'd feel perfectly natural about them but George's intense demeanour and monotone voice just put Ringo on edge in a way he'd never felt before. He returned to their table with their drinks and he was shaking somewhat as he put the glasses down. 

"You alright?" Paul asked, looking up at Ringo through his dark eyelashes "You're shaking." 

Paul was the complete opposite of George, soft everywhere the other was sharp, and he put Ringo at ease in the same inexplicable way that George unsettled him. "I'm fine." Ringo croaked out "Been a long shift, is all." 

"When do you get off?" George asked, taking a sip from the glass and Ringo's eyes honed in on how his slim fingers worked around the beer. 

"At 10, so not long now." He chuckled weakly, gripping onto his tray as though it could somehow deflect George's effect on him "I'll be right back with your pizza." 

When he returned to the table the boys were whispering amongst themselves, leaning in closely but returning to normal as soon as Ringo walked within earshot. He put the pizza down on the table with his signature smile and laid the cutlery on the table. 

"Enjoy." He looked anywhere but at George who was staring at him once again, and he walked away as calmly as he could manage as he hurried into the back room again to collect himself. 

He only had 20 minutes left of his shift and he spent the majority of it cleaning tables on the other side of the room to the boys, he ensured to never even glance over at their table as he was sure if he caught George glaring back at him it would only intensify his panic. The clock struck 10 finally, this final hour had felt like an eternity, and Ringo hurried towards the back room so he could get out of here as fast he could but as he turned the corner a voice called out. 

"Ringo!" Paul was calling, lifting his arm up in the air. 

Ringo walked over filled with exhaustion but still managed to paint his face with a smile "Everything alright, lads?" He asked, clutching his hands together behind him. 

"No problems to report." John beamed. 

"Just wanted to make sure you got your tip. People can be a little sneaky sometimes." Paul chuckled lightly, but it was George who was reaching into his wallet to take out another £20 note which perked Ringo up immediately. 

"Did you get the previous one? The lad seemed a bit shifty, I was certain he was gonna pocket it." George held the note towards Ringo and pressed it into his hand with another grin. 

"Oh! No, he did give it to me, I was meant to thank you but I completely forgot, sorry about that." The feeling of shyness enveloped Ringo entirely as he placed the note into his pocket. 

"Don't be silly, you don't need to thank us. Wouldn't give it to you if you didn't deserve it." George's tone was serious as ever and all Ringo could manage in response was a weak smile, he worried that if he spoke his voice would crack. 

"Don't let us keep you, your shift's over now isn't it?" Paul asked as he pulled his coat on. 

"Yeah, I best be getting home before I pass out." Ringo looked down at the ground as he spoke "Thanks again for the generous tip, really appreciate it." He didn't leave much time for a response as he rushed into the back to take off his apron and finally be released. 

By the time he'd signed out and walked back into the restaurant the boys were gone and Ringo let out a heavy sigh of relief as he walked out into the cold night. He shoved his hands in his pocket for warmth, feeling the money lying there which he toyed with as he walked. He felt exhausted but his brain was running a mile a minute, filled with questions about who this odd group was and why they had taken a shine to him; most of all he thought about George, about how he was the most mysterious of the three and the most intriguing yet also the most unnerving. Was it some kind of strange joke between them, perhaps? Ringo didn't know as he turned the corner into the dark alleyway which led him home. He never liked walking his way late at night, he always heard stories about people being mugged or attacked in the dark, but he was far too tired to take the long way around and he always figured that those things would just never happen to him, as everyone always thought until it did. He let out a yawn as he trudged down the alley, his heavy feet echoing loudly as he could barely keep his head up. Just as his thoughts started to creep back into his mind, thoughts of George's dark eyes and slim hands, he felt a sudden tight grip on his arm and something sharp poking into his back. Ringo felt almost too tired to panic, he figured his good luck had to run out sooner or later. 


	2. The Edge of a Knife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ringo's caught with a knife at his back and nowhere to run to.

Ringo still couldn't shake his feeling of exhaustion, even with what he assumed was a knife poking into his back. The man's grip on his arm was tight but he could still turn around if he really wanted to. Ringo hadn't been in many fights, he liked to avoid them whenever he could because the last thing he wanted was to end up in hospital, he was sick of being holed up in there. His hands were still deep in his pockets and he considered gripping his keys and trying to do a number on this guy, but he didn't like his chances. 

"Just give me your wallet, and I won't have to do anything unpleasant." It was a gruff voice, and Ringo could tell even without turning around that they were quite a bit taller than himself, which he was certain why he had been targeted. 

"I don't have it on me." Ringo spoke truthfully, his voice was somewhat hoarse with panic "All I've got is some tips from work." 

The man sighed and Ringo could feel the knife pressing slightly harder into his back which sent a wave of panic through his body; he didn't carry his wallet on his just in case this exact situation occurred but was he going to be stabbed for taking that exact precaution? 

"Bullshit." The man spat as he drove his foot into the back of Ringo's knee, making him fall forward into the ground roughly. 

He fell onto the concrete hard, only being able to shield himself somewhat with his hands which got scuffed badly. The man lowered his weight onto Ringo's back, making him unable to move, as he rooted through the pockets of his coat. The mugger pulled out the note from George and scoffed, stuffing it into his own pocket. 

"You're lucky you've got this mate." The man drove his knee into Ringo's back harder which made him groan "You can keep your change." He laughed as he cut his knife through the bottom of Ringo's pocket which made all the coins he'd made on his shift to fall out onto the hard ground. 

He felt the man shift as he began to get up, chuckling to himself and spitting down onto Ringo who just lay still, not wanting to risk angering him in any way. He heard the man's footsteps walking away down the alley behind him and Ringo lifted his head somewhat and decided he wouldn't get up until he was out of his sight. Then Ringo saw another figure approaching from the end of the alley, he assumed at first that it was a friend of the mugger's and cringed at the thought of them relishing in their victory while he still lay pathetically in the alley. Yet the two appeared to be arguing and Ringo lifted himself up as best he could, he felt winded from the fall and his back was aching. He heard raised voices and suddenly the second figure shoved the mugger against the wall hard and Ringo gasped, he scrambled to his feet as fast as he could and collected all the spilled coins. The figure landed a hard punch on the mugger who fell to the ground only to be met by a series of hard kicks. Was his mugger getting mugged? Ringo couldn't stand to watch it anymore, in a normal situation he'd try and help the victim but he wasn't sure that word applied here, so he moved down the alley as quietly as he could while making small glances behind him to make sure he wasn't being followed. The mugger was being mercilessly kicked and Ringo could hear his cries of pain echo down to him until they stopped; Ringo turned around again to see the second man coming towards him at a rapid pace so Ringo broke out in a sprint. 

"Stop!" The voice called out but Ringo didn't stop, he kept running to the end of the alley and gripped onto his house keys tightly as he thought he might have to use them this time. 

He was almost at the end and then he'd be free, surely nobody would attack him on a populated street, or at least he hoped. But then, as if his luck couldn't get any worse that day, two more figures turned into the alley and blocked off his exit. Ringo halted immediately as he realised he knew their faces, it was John and Paul. They didn't look at him aggressively, but he could tell for certain that they weren't going to let him pass. What were they doing here? The realisation hit Ringo hard when he turned to look behind him to find George was the one rushing after him, he was the one who attacked his mugger. What the fuck was going on? George stopped a few paces away from Ringo, he had a small cut on his cheek that was bleeding and he was panting heavily. Ringo stumbled backwards into the wall, not feeling as though he could hold himself up any longer. There was silence among the four of them as George held out a crumbled bank note which was covered in specks of blood. Ringo looked down at the money then up at George who's expression was as blank as ever. 

"What the fuck?" Was all Ringo managed to breathe out, feeling frozen in place. 

"This is yours, isn't it?" George cracked a small smile, his breath was returning to him now. 

"Were you following me?" Ringo felt that he already knew the answer but he didn't know what else to say. 

"I'm not a big fan of the word 'followed'." John piped up, his arms were crossed across his chest. "Protected has a nicer ring to it." 

Ringo's mouth dropped open but no words came out, he was utterly speechless. 

"You must be pretty freaked out." Paul spoke softly "We can explain if you want us to, if not you're free to go home." 

"So you were following me then? Do you do that sort of thing a lot or did you just get a feeling that I might get mugged tonight?" Ringo's voice was becoming aggressive as he felt himself calming down, he was able to stand up without support of the wall. 

"Look, Ringo, we just wanted to make sure you got home alright, that's all." George was still holding out the bloody note. 

"You could've just asked to walk me home, that's what normal people do!" Ringo felt his rage bubbling but he didn't think it was really directed at them, he was just confused and scared and tired "I knew there was something off about you lot, you're bloody mental. What did you even do to that guy, did you kill him?" 

George scoffed "Course not. I just roughed him up I bit, I wouldn't have if he didn't get me with his knife." He pointed to the cut on his face which was bleeding down his cheek, but he seemed entirely unbothered by it. "I don't expect you to thank us or anything, just take your money and get home." He took a step closer to Ringo with the money extended, but Ringo just slapped it out of his hand.

"I don't want your dirty money. Fuck knows where you even got that from." Ringo scowled "Just leave me alone, let me go home and stay the fuck away from me." 

George sighed and looked at the other two who made way for Ringo without a word, they both had a somewhat sad expression on their face. Ringo pushed past them and hurried out of the alley towards his house, as he put the keys in the front door he turned to the alley where he could still see the three of them watching him from the darkness. He held up his middle finger as a last sign of resistance before disappearing into his house. He leant all his weight against the closed door behind him, closing his eyes and sighing deeply. It wasn't very often Ringo felt so rough, he knew he should probably have a bath to clean himself up and calm himself down but he was far too exhausted and all he had the energy to do was to collapse on his bed face first and sleep. As soon as his head hit the pillow his exhaustion weighed down upon him and he struggled to keep his eyes open for much longer, drifting into a deep sleep. 

* * *

Luckily Ringo didn't have to work for the next two days, he was very thankful that he could stay in the safety of his own home away from muggers and strange men. The previous night played on his mind throughout the day, the hole in his pocket and bruises made it difficult to forget, but he tried his best not to get caught in the whirlwind of thoughts in his head. He spent the first few hours of the day in bed before finally dragging himself to the bathroom to run himself a bath. He looked at his bruises in the mirror as best he could, his back was marked pretty badly along with his knees and hands. It wasn't best to dwell on the negative but Ringo couldn't shake the ghastly feeling he got when thinking about what might have happened if he'd attacked the guy or said the wrong thing. It made him shudder when he remembered the feeling of the knife pressing into his back and he wondered how long it would be before he was able to forget it. One thing he tried his best not to think about was George, the way he witnessed him mercilessly beating his attacker or how pleading his eyes looked when approaching him afterwards. One thing Ringo prided himself on was his accurate judge of character, at least from that horrible ordeal he knew why he had such a bad feeling about those three boys. That was where his train of thought stopped, he didn't want to get lost in theories about who they are or what they did because he knew it'd only freak him out more. His largest worry now was whether they'd come back to his work, or even turn up at his house. It was best not to think about, Ringo decided, as he sunk into the warm bath water with the loud radio beside him drowning out his thoughts. 

* * *

By the time Ringo returned to work he was no longer sore but was still mentally rattled. Luckily it wasn't too long of a shift today, only 2-7, and he found himself pleasantly distracted as he worked throughout the day. He decided not to take a lunch break so he could finish a little earlier to get as much drum practice in as possible, he'd spent his days off holed up in his room with his kit. He tried his best not to play too loud, but with drums that was almost impossible, and it hurt to play with all the cuts and scuffs on his hands, but he played all he could and felt much better for it; his drumming was his best and only emotional outlet. His colleague came into work around 4 and rushed over to Ringo as soon as he caught sight of him. Ringo did get along with him somewhat, in the way that work colleagues do, but he always had the feeling that he liked him far more than Ringo cared for him. 

"Ringo mate! How you doing?" He said with a smile, he almost never started his shift when he was supposed to as he was always chatting with the staff. 

"Been better, but not too shabby." Ringo smiled back "How about yourself?" 

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. You'll never guess who was in here yesterday asking about you." He was always one for gossip, and if any news got to him first he liked to parade it around like he'd discovered the meaning of life. 

Ringo paused, his heart sank as he knew immediately who it was but nonetheless still entertained the conversation. "Who was it?" 

"One of them scary blokes, the ones in the suits. Never seen them apart from each other before, but it was just the one lad on his own, you know the one with the eyes? Proper scary like." He rambled "Came in around 6 yesterday asking if you were working, I told him no and he asked when you'd next be in." 

"What did you tell him?" Ringo asked urgently, causing his colleague to raise and eyebrow. 

"I told him you were working today at 2." He spoke with caution now "Should I not have? Is something going on? I figured he just really liked you or something, cause he just walked out without even ordering anything. Maybe he just wants to give you a fat cheque or something." He chuckled but Ringo felt anything but humourous.

Ringo didn't want to explain everything that happened, he barely even knew this guy and the last thing he wanted was word getting out that Ringo was being stalked by some shady men, especially if said shady men caught wind of the rumour. He just sighed and ran his hand through his hair, unsure what the best course of action to take was. 

"Has he not been in yet? Maybe he's not coming." His co-worker was clearly trying to reassure Ringo, even though he didn't know why he needed reassuring. 

"Yeah, maybe." Ringo chuckled weakly but he had a sour feeling that it wasn't the case. He carried on cleaning tables and his colleague left to get his apron on. 

Another hour passed and there was no sign of any of the boys which should've been a relief to Ringo, but it only put him more on edge. The worst thing about this whole situation was how little Ringo knew, he still had no idea what they even wanted with him or even if they even wanted anything at all. Luckily Ringo had the dinner rush to distract him right up to the end of his shift, but as soon as he walked out the door back into the world he was riddled with fear. Not only did he have the possibility of getting mugged again, which would've been bad enough on its own, but he was also potentially being watched and followed at every moment. He swore off walking down the alley even though it wasn't that dark, it would be a long time before he walked down there again. It added another 10 minutes onto his walk but he didn't mind too much, he rarely got out of the house if it wasn't just going to and from work. He started to whistle as he turned onto his street, secretly hoping that he'd avoided whatever situation he might've been getting himself into, but his hopes were crushed when he saw an all too familiar figure sitting on the steps outside his house. It was George, seemingly alone, smoking a cigarette and looking around him every so often. Eventually he spotted Ringo and he stood up abruptly, putting out his cigarette and placing his hands in his pockets. He looked pretty harmless from where Ringo was standing, he was very slim and didn't carry himself very aggressively but as Ringo got closer and George's hard face and deep eyes came into focus Ringo felt fear building up in his stomach. He stopped a significant distance away from George, he was afraid to get too close to him, and he wondered whether it was safe to even be here at all. 

"Hi." George spoke first, his tone was as serious as always but his demeanour was unthreatening "I know you told me to leave you alone, but-" 

"But you decided to wait around outside my house for me to finish work instead?" Ringo tried to sound dangerous, but he just couldn't manage it, not when he felt this scared and especially not with George's eyes staring at him like that. 

"I couldn't help myself." George's voice got quieter but he didn't break eye contact "John and Paul don't know I'm here. I just had to come and talk to you, to explain myself." 

Ringo didn't know what to say, on all accounts he should be calling the police but there was something in George's voice that sounded genuine. "Are you expecting me to let you into my house?" Ringo questioned, folding his arms across his chest in an attempt to look threatening. 

"I'm not expecting anything." George took a few steps closer to him, and Ringo became uncomfortably aware of how much taller George was than him. A part of his brain told him to run, to shove past him and lock himself in his house, but he didn't. He looked at the cut on George's cheek which was beginning to heal, his instinct told him to reach out to touch it but he resisted. He looked almost defeated, nothing like the imposing presence he had been when he'd asked for his name all those days ago.

"Well you better start explaining, and quick." Ringo's heart was beating faster than he'd care to admit. 

"I can't really say out here." George looked down at Ringo with his dark eyes "Would you let me buy you dinner? As an apology, and you can get all the answers you want." 

"Is that what all this is? A ploy to get me to have dinner with you?" Ringo wanted it to come out as angry, but it didn't, instead it was soft and quiet, so he cleared his throat rather pathetically. 

"No, there's no ploy. Just let me take you to dinner, anywhere you want. If not I'll just go, and I'll leave you alone." George's breath smelled of smoke and it was hot against Ringo's face, he wanted to take a step back but he didn't want to look weak. 

Ringo had to admit the fact that he was hungry, he hadn't eaten since breakfast and he wasn't even sure he had any food in. He'd never been asked out to dinner before, he didn't have any friends generous enough to ever pay for him and he was such a difficult eater that he never really bothered with restaurants anyway. He felt himself warming to the idea, even with the part of his brain screaming that something was wrong, he just couldn't convince himself that George was going to hurt him as he looked into his eyes. Certainly there was a bigger picture here, and Ringo felt that it wouldn't be easy to get the information that he wanted or if he even wanted the information at all. He didn't want to admit it, but maybe the feelings of panic he felt when George looked at him or spoke to him weren't exactly fear but instead were something more personal, more intimate. He felt his mouth drying as he held George's gaze and was only able to speak when he turned away. 

"Alright then." Ringo croaked, still uncertain whether he was making the right decision "But if there's any funny business, I swear I'll-" 

"Don't make promises you don't intend to keep." George interrupted, grinning down at Ringo who felt incredibly small and vulnerable at that moment, exposing his sharp teeth which sent a flutter in Ringo's stomach.

He felt like he might be making the stupidest decision of his life, but he didn't care. 


	3. Connections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> George takes a suspicious Ringo out for dinner, he's full of questions but he's not sure he can handle the answers.

Ringo felt the same intensity he had always felt around George, but something was different this time. As soon as he agreed to have dinner with him, George seemed to relax somewhat and his eyes were no longer so piercing. Ringo had insisted that he drove them for even though he was almost certain that he wasn't in danger here, he didn't want to let his guard down entirely; George didn't seem to mind and got into Ringo's car without any fuss. It was silent when they shut the doors behind them, Ringo gripped the steering wheel tightly as he couldn't shake his feeling of being on edge. 

"So, where do you wanna go?" George asked plainly, his slim legs stretching out in front of him.

"I don't really know." Ringo found it difficult to look at him "I don't eat out much, it's probably best if you pick." He didn't want to give him the power in this situation, but if it was up to Ringo they'd probably just end up at a pub eating crisps. 

"Alright then, I know just the place. Just drive and I'll tell you where to go." George got comfortable in his seat, taking off his coat and holding it neatly in his lap.

They drove in almost complete silence, with Ringo not really knowing what to say and George didn't seem like he had anything to say. It was around 10 minutes later before George told Ringo to pull out and he was relieved to see an upstanding restaurant, rather than something dodgy-looking. George got out of the car as soon as Ringo turned the ignition off which made him panic, maybe this wasn't the best idea after all. He undid his belt quickly and worried that he had put himself in a vulnerable position but before the panic could truly set in George was on the other side of the car opening the door for him. Ringo certainly wasn't expecting that. It was an odd gesture but it made Ringo feel somewhat more comfortable as he stepped out of the car onto the pavement suddenly feeling very under-dressed.

"Thanks." Ringo muttered, stepping past George who closed the door behind him, he was unnervingly close. 

There was a long line stretching from the front door and Ringo prepared himself to have to get back into the car to find somewhere else to eat, he didn't think he'd feel too comfortable in a place as posh as this anyway. George hovered his hand behind Ringo's back to guide him but Ringo jumped away suddenly, the last thing he wanted was someone pressing up behind him again. George looked at him worriedly, his brows knitting together as he pulled his hand away quickly.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to-" He started but Ringo interrupted him.

"No, no, just still a bit freaked out after the whole thing. He had his knife in my back, you see." Ringo chuckled flatly, and his words seemed to anger George somewhat. "Are we even gonna be able to get in here?"

"Don't worry about that, just leave it to me." George winked, it was a jokey gesture Ringo thought but it still made his breath catch in his throat and he felt his cheeks warming.

George started walking again and Ringo followed beside him as they walked around the corner until they came to a small door on the side of the building which George stepped up to and knocked. After a few seconds it opened, behind it was a burly looking man with suspicious eyes which immediately lit up upon seeing George. The door was swung open and the man stepped aside to let George in, Ringo followed behind sheepishly. They exchanged no words which Ringo found very strange, but not as strange as the path they were taking as they passed through the back of the restaurant into the kitchens and finally into the dining room; along the way many people called out George's name and shook his hand, not paying much attention to Ringo at all. This just added onto the ever-growing list of Ringo's questions which he was hoping would be tackled soon. When they entered the dining room someone rushed over immediately to set George and himself, they were put into one of the few empty booths which allowed for privacy but you could still hear the band playing. Ringo felt extremely out of place and when he sat down opposite George and met his eyes, he only felt himself shrinking further. George simply smiled at him and picked up the menu, gesturing for Ringo to do the same. Ringo realised the menu didn't have any prices on, so his strategy of picking the cheapest thing on the menu was abandoned, and the realisation sunk in that they were in a really fancy place.

"What do you fancy?" George asked, his voice sounded different now from when he was talking to the array of people on their way here.

"I haven't the faintest." Ringo laughed awkwardly "I'm not really into fancy food and that."

"It's not that fancy, really. They just give it poncy names so that you think it's fancy. Why don't you get the steak, that's pretty straightforward, right?" George smiled almost sweetly, Ringo didn't think George was capable of being sweet.

"Sure, sounds good to me. I'd love a drink too, if you're offering." Ringo was feeling somewhat more comfortable but he couldn't help feeling out of place in such an upper class environment, and he wondered how George felt so relaxed too for while he knew he must have a lot of spare change to throw about, he didn't carry himself like a rich person and he definitely didn't talk like one.

"Of course. How about we get some wine?" George put his menu down and gave Ringo his full attention, who just nodded with a sudden inability to speak. "Lovely." He signalled a waiter over who, like everyone else in this place, seemed elated to see George.

"Mr. Harrison, its been far too long!" The waiter seemed genuine, which surprised Ringo as he knew far too well how often he had to pretend to be happy to see customers "Will it be the usual tonight, sir?"

George seemed somewhat embarrassed to be receiving this reception, and looked over at Ringo with a reassuring smile "No, thanks. Two filets and a bottle of red wine, please."

"Certainly, right away sir." The waiter bowed slightly as he walked away with their menus. The silence he left behind was thick.

"So..." George seemed properly relaxed for the first time "I'm sure you've got a lot of questions you want to get through."

Ringo scoffed, it was an understatement for sure "Well, first off, what are you doing eating at my place when you can afford to eat here!?" He didn't want to get down to the serious matters straight away, he felt like he owed it to himself to enjoy himself at least for a little while.

George chuckled at this and Ringo found himself being charmed by his grin once again, though he wouldn't like to admit it "To be honest I don't really like places like this, far too poncey. I only come here if I'm with other people, Paul seems to like it. I'd much rather go somewhere where the people are normal, you know? " As time went by the facade he seemed to be playing up when he first spoke to Ringo seemed to vanish.

"So why do they all treat you like some celebrity then? I mean, if you are and I'm supposed to have recognised you or something then that's my fault I suppose." Ringo couldn't look at George for too long, it made his stomach feel uneasy, so he looked around at the restaurant instead which was certainly the most lavish place he'd ever set foot in or ever would again. 

"It's difficult to explain. I know I said I'd tell you everything, but there are certain things I can't say. I have a lot of influence, I have... connections, let's say." George was very careful with his words and Ringo could see him thinking. "Me, Paul and John are all part of this certain group which is respected around here." 

"You're not talking like a cult, are you?" Ringo wanted to keep the tone light but he was still desperate for answers, but a part of him knew he wasn't going to like whatever the truth was. 

"No, no, nothing like that." George laughed again "It's pretty secretive though, exclusive is the best word I think." 

The waiter returned with a bottle of wine and two glasses, he showed the wine to George who nodded in approval but it didn't look like he examined it at all, and so they began to drink. 

"So it's like a job then? I mean where else do you get all that money from? I doubt you've been saving up your wages just to splash out on a tip." Ringo chuckled as he took a sip from his wine, he was never very interested in the drink but it tasted delicious and he knew it must've been ridiculously expensive. 

"Yeah, it's kinda like a job. A family business, I suppose." George smiled when he saw Ringo's pleased reaction to the wine. 

"But what's any of that got to do with you following me?" Ringo spoke in a lower voice as if it would make the subject less tense. 

"Honestly, nothing at all. I didn't plan on you finding out because I expected you to react the way you did, I know it's not a normal thing to do." George grew quieter too.

"Then why-" Ringo began. 

"There's something about you Ringo, I don't know what it is. We only popped into your work the first time cause Paul was desperate for a piss." He chuckled and took another sip of wine "But then I saw you, and I kept dragging the lads back there just because I hoped I'd get to speak to you, I mean the food's not bad either but we could've gone anywhere. Then when you did speak to us, I just had this strange feeling that I can't quite describe, I just wanted to make sure you were safe. I convinced John and Paul to follow you on your way home with me, they didn't mind much but they thought it was a bit odd, then we saw you head down that alley and my heart sank. I know a lot about what goes on in this city, I know the shit that goes down in dark alleys, and from then on I swore I'd make sure you got home safe every night. The night you got mugged Paul and John walked ahead in case anything happened, and unfortunately it did." He looked down at the floor when he remembered the event, his voice was heavier "I was so angry at myself that I didn't intervene sooner, but I really didn't want you to know that I'd been following you, but I was just filled with so much rage knowing that someone had done that to you, I just had to step in." He stopped talking like he'd run out of energy rather than having run out of things to say, rather Ringo knew he had a lot more he wanted to get off his chest. 

Ringo was speechless, this was not how he had expected this to go at all. The worst part about all of this was that he wasn't shocked, he wasn't disgusted, because he knew exactly the indescribable feeling that George had talked about. Even if everything wasn't laid out on the table, it was clear that George was involved in a dangerous line of work and he must've seen a lot of terrible things, so Ringo wasn't surprised that he had such a drive to protect the things he cared about, but why was he one of those things? Of course it wasn't unheard of for boys to like other boys, but it certainly wasn't something Ringo ever expected to affect his life, definitely never something he'd be participating in, yet here he was sitting across from someone who made him feel things that nobody else ever had. But he couldn't be gay, could he? George looked up at him after a long period of silence and Ringo's heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest, he hated that he now understood what this feeling was and why it had felt so alien and scary to him before. 

"Do you... get this feeling with a lot of people?" Ringo breathed, taking a big swig from his glass. 

George shook his head "Just you." 

The tension felt like a heavy fog, neither one knew what the right thing was to say so they sat in silence and drank, still looking deep into each other's eyes for what felt like an age. Eventually the waiter came over with their food who was as cheery as ever, it gave them both a breather for at least a little while. The food looked exquisite, Ringo had never seen anything like it, and he just knew it would taste even better than it looked. George had already begun to eat and Ringo quickly followed suit. They finished the bottle of wine fairly quickly and George ordered another which they went through just as ravenously. They hardly spoke between sips and bites, but it didn't feel like they weren't saying anything. Ringo was only getting more intoxicated as time went on and he found himself focusing on strange things, like the fabric of the table cloth, the pattern of the carpet or the way George's lips looked as he sipped his wine. He seemed to notice Ringo's glances but he didn't shy away from them, instead he drew more attention to himself by licking his lips slowly which made Ringo squirm. It was as if they were speaking a non-verbal language with one another and it wasn't until their plates were empty that one of them spoke. 

"Do you want dessert?" George's voice sounded huskier now and his eyes were darker somehow.

"No thanks, I'm stuffed." Ringo tried to laugh but it just wouldn't come out with George looking at him like that.

"You're far too drunk to drive home." George stated as he finished off his glass of wine "I can get you a taxi, if you'd like."

"What's the alternative, driving into a lamppost?" Ringo managed a choked chuckle.

There was a pause "You could come back to mine." Ringo swallowed "It's not that far and I can give you a lift home in the morning."

Those final three words swam around in Ringo's head and he felt completely overwhelmed. He was definitely too drunk to drive home, that much he knew, but did he want to get a taxi home alone to just pass out on the bathroom floor? That same old panic crept into his mind but he wasn't even sure what he scared of; he knew without a doubt that George didn't want him to get hurt but what scared him was what George _might_ want. Heading back to a strangers house wasn't unknown to Ringo, it had been his preferred way of doing things his whole life, but this was different, George didn't feel like a stranger and even stranger still he was a man. Ringo had never even kissed another man before and he wasn't even sure that he wanted to, yet deep down he knew that he wanted, no needed, to go back with George. Ringo took a final gulp from his wine glass and flashed George a smile who had been watching him intensely while he debated with himself.

"I think I'd like that." Ringo felt small again, like he was completely exposed and George was looking right at him.

George simply nodded and asked for the bill which he paid without a second thought, Ringo could see that his wallet was filled with money, and he dared not count how much he put down lest he feel guilty. They both then stood up and George waited for Ringo to walk ahead so that he could follow behind, he placed his hand on the small of Ringo's back again but this time he didn't flinch. Ringo felt his cheeks heating up as he could feel George's slender fingers on him and he allowed himself to be guided out the main entrance of the restaurant which still hosted a long line of people eager to get in. The staff at the front doors gave George a knowing nod, who responded with a flashy grin and Ringo found himself staring at that sharp tooth again. It was cold outside but the wine kept Ringo warm and he could feel the heat radiating off of George, who moved his hand onto Ringo's hip so that they were being held together as they walked.

"Is that okay?" George asked softly, Ringo watched his lips intensely as they moved.

"Yeah, that's okay." Ringo whispered back. 


	4. Two Of Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ringo heads back to George's and is afraid of what might unfold.

The two of them walked in silence down the street with George's warm hand on Ringo's hip pulling them together. Ringo wondered if George was as nervous as he was, it was certainly hard to tell with George who seemed to have an unshakeable confidence about him, but the tightness of his jaw and the way he played with Ringo's shirt fabric told another story. It was getting dark now but Ringo had never felt safer, with George wrapped around him he felt completely and utterly protected. George got out a cigarette and lit it, Ringo found himself being drawn to his fingers and lips once more as he wondered what they'd feel like on his. George noticed him staring and he just smiled, Ringo thought he must get stared at a lot.

"Want one?" George asked and Ringo nodded silently. George passed him the already lit one from his mouth and their fingers lightly brushed which should've have done anything to Ringo, but it did. 

"Thanks." Ringo muttered as he took the cigarette into his mouth, it was a little damp from when George had been smoking it and it gave him a strange feeling in his stomach.

Their conversation ended there until they stopped in front of a tall block of flats, Ringo never really came to this part of town and he never anticipated he'd know someone who lived in such a rich area, let alone be going home with them. George tackled the steps up to the building first and Ringo couldn't help looking at his slender legs, he followed close behind him. Even the lobby was fancier than Ringo's entire house and he had the horrible feeling of being out of place again. The doorman unsurprisingly seemed happy to see George, flashing him a broad smile.

"John was wondering where you were George." He spoke, looking up from his newspaper. 

"Did he need to talk to me?" George asked as he walked over to the lift.

"Dunno, it didn't seem urgent or anything. I think he's still in if you wanna talk to him." He returned his focus to reading.

George let Ringo step into the lift first, hovering his hand over his back once again. Even though they hadn't really been speaking the entire time here, it only really felt silent when they were alone together in the lift as the air felt hot and heavy. Ringo looked straight ahead as the lift continued to climb up and he could feel George's gaze on him. 

"So... John lives in this building too?" Ringo's mouth felt dry.

"Yeah, Paul too. We all live on the same floor actually, a lot of our people live here." George sounded husky again and it made Ringo want to shiver.

Our people? Ringo was somewhat refusing to put all the pieces together in his mind because as soon as he admitted the truth of the situation he'd have to also admit that he shouldn't be here at all; he'd have to admit that despite George clearly being involved with dangerous people he still felt so drawn to him. The lift finally came to a halt and they stepped out in to the hallway, George once again letting Ringo go first, which was lavishly decorated. There were only four doors on this floor and Ringo could tell even from the outside that they must've all been fairly large. He had always felt pretty proud of having a house all to himself, even if it was pretty small and shabby, but now he really got an idea of how the other half lived. George walked down the end of the hall and Ringo watched him as he went, his eyes trailing up his slim legs up to where his trousers hugged him nicely. Before George turned around Ringo quickly hurried to him, he really wasn't acting like himself at all, he was used to having the girls drooling over him rather than being the drooling one. George opened the door to his flat and held it open for Ringo who slid past him, brushing against him slightly. 

"I don't want to be rude but I just need to check on John quickly." Ringo felt George's breath on his face as he spoke "It's probably nothing so I shouldn't be long. Make yourself at home, get yourself a drink." 

Ringo nodded as he stepped further into the flat and George closed the door, disappearing into the hall, and he tried his best to 'make himself at home' but he didn't think that was going to be possible. The place was enormous and ridiculously nice, Ringo felt like he had no business being somewhere so lush. He took a seat on the closest sofa and looked around as his thoughts began to overwhelm him: what was he doing here? None of this had been planned, yet here he was waiting for a strange man who had openly admitted to liking him, waiting for what exactly? Ringo had no clue what he was expecting from this, he had convinced himself that he only went to dinner with George to get answers but he even with his questions answered he still felt compelled to stay. He began to feel scared, maybe there was still time for him to get a taxi home, he hadn't committed to anything yet. His heart was racing as he thought about George returning and whatever might follow, he was able to make Ringo feel so strange just by looking at him, just by looking the way that he did, so how on Earth was Ringo meant to survive anything beyond that? He stood up and began to pace through the flat, walking into the kitchen and searching for a drink, finding a bottle of whiskey in a cabinet with glasses. He poured himself some and drank it immediately, he was already a little tipsy from the wine but he knew this would help calm him down, he drank another and tried to relax himself. Then he heard the front door open again and George calling out to him.

“Ringo?” George eventually came into the kitchen to a slightly dishevelled looking Ringo, he smiled at him “I thought you might’ve done a runner.”

“’Course not.” Ringo smiled back “I had some whiskey, hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all, think I’ll have some myself.” George stepped closer and got himself a glass, pouring a healthy amount and taking a sip.

“Everything alright with John?” Ringo was gripping onto his glass tightly.

“Oh yeah. Just work stuff, nothing too major.” George took another sip “Want to sit down?”

Ringo nodded and allowed George to lead him once more into the living room where they sat beside one another on one of the sofas, it was the closest he’d been to him thus far. From this distance he could get a better look at the cut on his face which was almost healed but still visible. Ringo reached out to touch it with his fingers, acting before he even thought about it. George’s mouth openly slightly at the contact and Ringo blushed.

“Does it hurt?” Ringo asked in a hush tone.

“Not at all. A papercut really.” George chuckled “Luckily he didn’t really know his way around a knife or else I might’ve been in trouble.”

“You get hurt a lot then?” Ringo moved his hand away, the tips of his fingers felt hot.

“Not if I can help it. I’ve been beaten around my fair share, been stabbed a couple of times. Never been shot though, luckily.” He spoke so naturally about it, as if he was talking about the weather.

“Stabbed?” Ringo asked, his face growing a little pale. “Have you ever-“

“Again, not if I can help it. I never want to really hurt anyone, but it’s unavoidable sometimes. I don’t use a knife if I can avoid it, and I never like carrying a gun.” His hands were fiddling with something in his pocket.

“You have a knife?” Ringo knew this conversation should’ve been a massive red flag to him, it should’ve been filling him with fear and activating his flight response, but he found it exciting.

“’Course I do.” George chuckled quietly “You don’t get to be someone like me and walk around without protection, that’d be suicide.”

“Can I see?” Ringo wasn’t entirely sure why he wanted to see, it wasn’t like he’d never seen a knife before, but there was something so intriguing about it all.

George nodded and pulled something out of his pocket slowly, it was a switchblade; Ringo had never seen one this close before, he’d always hated people who carried knives around to look tough because it almost always ended badly for them. George held it at a distance and flicked the blade up which made Ringo jump and George chuckled lowly. He began to spin it through his fingers and Ringo was mesmerised, he found himself leaning forward as he couldn’t keep his eyes off of George’s slim fingers. After a few moments George stopped and put the knife away, throwing it onto the table in front of them, Ringo’s eyes still drawn to his fingers. George moved then, placing a hand under Ringo’s chin and turning him to face him, their faces were so close together it stopped Ringo’s breath.

“Can I kiss you?” George asked softly, his finger running along Ringo’s stubbled jaw.

Words escaped Ringo and all he could do was nod, he had never been so sure of something before. George leaned in and pressed his lips to Ringo’s, he tasted of whiskey and smoke and it was entirely intoxicating. George’s lips were soft but it was a strange sensation for Ringo, he’d never kissed another man before and this felt so different to kissing a woman but nothing about it felt wrong. George’s hands were moving then, one rubbing his cheek slowly and the other running through the hair on the back of his head. Ringo let out a quiet noise and he felt George smiling against him. Then he felt George’s tongue run along his bottom lip and it was an odd feeling, to have someone else taking charge in a moment like this but Ringo thought he liked it; he hesitantly opened his mouth and allowed George’s tongue inside which entwined with his own. George began to shift himself and gently pushed Ringo down onto the sofa, Ringo put a hand out to hold onto George’s neck as he was laid out on his back. George pulled away for a second, opening his eyes to see Ringo looking back at him with slight fear.

“Have you ever done this before?” George asked, he was hovering over Ringo just slightly.

“N-Not with a guy.” Ringo breathed out, he just wanted to be kissing George again, he didn’t have to think then.

“You’ll have to let me know if you want to stop.” George sounded serious and it just made Ringo feel more excited, he pulled George down on top of him and started kissing him again.

Feeling George’s slender body against him was strange, he was used to the softness of a woman and he had no idea where to put his hands. George on the other hand seemed entirely comfortable, or maybe he was just better at hiding it, as he placed a leg between Ringo’s and kissed him deeply, he was becoming rougher now and Ringo had to admit that he liked it. He pushed his leg up to Ringo’s groin which warranted a gasp from the smaller man as he felt himself hardening. George let out a low groan in response, moving from Ringo’s mouth to kiss his neck tenderly; he ran his tongue down the skin then bit down hard.

“Fuck!” Ringo shouted, he wasn’t expecting that at all. He could feel George’s sharp teeth piercing his skin and it made his eyes roll, his body jerking upwards.

George licked the spot he had bitten and spoke lowly “Get this coat off.”

Ringo obliged immediately, moving faster than he thought he could as the coat was thrown onto the floor and George began to work on the buttons of shirt, Ringo watched his deft fingers working and it made him twitch. The cold air of the flat hit his bare skin and goosebumps pricked up all over. George’s mouth was on him again working down his chest, leaving small kisses and light bites until he got to his nipples which he licked around torturously slow. Ringo was breathing heavily, sweating profusely as he watched George claim his body, he didn’t know what he wanted but he knew he needed more. George continued to descend down his body until he reached his groin, he raised himself up and placed his hand on Ringo’s belt, he looked at him for approval.

“God, yes.” Ringo panted out which made George chuckle who quickly unbuckled the belt and discarded it along with his trousers.

He was hard in his boxers and he felt somewhat ashamed, lying almost naked and wrecked under George’s intense gaze. George ran one finger over the outline of Ringo’s cock and it made him squirm, pulling out a ragged moan from his dry mouth. He ran another finger into the waistband on his boxers and Ringo called out.

“Wait!” He stopped George immediately in his tracks who looked up at him quickly and alarmed.

"You alright?" George's voice was strained, and it made him sound all the more appealing.

"Just... Just take it slow, please." Ringo was finding it hard to collect himself but when George planted a soft kiss on his lips he felt relaxed again.

George followed his plea almost painfully, as he slowly took off Ringo's boxers and slowly placed his fingers around his hard cock. Ringo felt all the breath leave his body at the contact, he was gripping on the arm of the sofa so hard he worried he might damage it. He felt George's hot breath on him as he placed soft kisses along his length before taking the head into his mouth.

"Shit... Feels good, George." Ringo stuttered out, the sight of George's lips around him made him feel like he was going to pass out. George hummed around him happily upon hearing his name and he looked up at Ringo with his dark eyes and he'd never seen a more beautiful sight.

George worked more and more of Ringo into his mouth slowly, always looking back up at the older man to ensure he was still comfortable, entirely unaware of the effect that his eyes were having on him. Ringo continued to let out strangled moans as his cock twitched in the wet heat of George's mouth, he didn't think he'd be able to last very long. Ringo began to wonder if George had done this a lot, he didn't seem to struggle at all and took the majority of Ringo's length with ease, which a lot of girls had struggled to do. Ringo moved his hands in George's hair and tugged it lightly which made him moan, he met Ringo's gaze as he pulled off his cock then took it all to the back of his throat in one motion. Ringo cursed again and failed to stop his hips from bucking upwards, making George gag but he didn't seem to mind, it seemed like he liked it as he began to bob his head up and down at a quickening pace. Ringo only tugged on his hair harder which made George suck him faster, his lips were red and plump and Ringo wished he could do this forever but already that bubbling feeling in his stomach was rising. George looked ridiculously hot in a way that women never looked to Ringo, there was something about his lips, his eyes, his voice that made Ringo come undone.

"George... I'm getting close." Ringo breathed and George hummed around him again, causing Ringo to buck his hips once more and George gagged around him, the sound was obscene.

George pulled off him once more which made Ringo whine as he felt the cold air strike his aching cock. George moved his fingers onto Ringo once more, rubbing him from the base and placing the remainder into his mouth; he hollowed his cheeks and ran his other hand up and down Ringo's thigh which felt ridiculously sensitive. Ringo let out another loud moan, pulling George's hair roughly which earned him a low growl. The feeling was building and building, he could barely keep his eyes open when he felt George's hand move from his cock to trace circles around his hole, at the same time he took Ringo entirely into his mouth and gagged on him loudly. It was all too much, Ringo called out but George didn't move an inch, he continued to bob his head up and down Ringo's cock like he was thirsty for it, like he needed him to cum in his mouth. All it took was George's eyes to meet Ringo's, with his mouth stuffed with his cock and his cheeks flushed, and Ringo came hard. His eyes rolled far back in his head and he pulled George's hair so hard he worried he might've hurt him but he couldn't help it. When he finally opened his eyes again, his breath heavy and fast, George was looking smug with white dripping from his mouth. Ringo had never had a girl swallow when he finished, it was never even option for a one night stand, yet George had made sure that he did.

"Wow." Was all Ringo said, wiping the sweat off his forehead and shifting up onto his elbows.

George sat up now looking nowhere near as wrecked as Ringo felt, with his clothes still neat and clean, his hair was just a little ruffled and his face a little red. Ringo couldn't stop staring at his lips and the cum that was still resting there, it made Ringo gulp. George smirked and crawled over Ringo's body to attack his mouth once again, his tongue entering his mouth immediately and Ringo could taste the saltiness of his orgasm; he'd never tasted cum before, and he had never expected to be tasting his own in another man's mouth. When George pulled away he gave a sly smile, Ringo even thought he might have enjoyed it more than he had.

"How was that?" His voice was rough and Ringo couldn't stop thinking about how willingly he'd swallowed him.

"Fucking brilliant." Ringo chuckled as George rested his head on Ringo's chest, he started playing with his hair instinctively.

They lay like that for a while, George lying on Ringo's rising and falling chest as he finally caught his breath, drawing small shapes on his stomach. Ringo placed a soft kiss on the top of his head and George hummed peacefully, and he sounded like he was beginning to fall asleep. Ringo felt at peace like this, he felt safe, and he felt happy. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys are enjoying reading this as much as I am writing it! I just wanted to ask whether you guys consider this a T, M or E rating cause I'm not too sure on the difference.


	5. Bruises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ringo has an abrupt awakening to find George gone.

Ringo woke up with a start as he heard a door slamming and raised voices. He gathered his senses as he had to remind himself where he was and what he was doing there. George was gone and it was still dark out, the clock read just past 3 and Ringo felt incredibly groggy. He was still naked but he was covered with a warm blanket which only made him think about the absence of George: where was he? He sat up and rubbed his eyes, stretching wide and letting out a loud yawn as he noticed a note lying on the table where George had discarded his knife, which was gone. He picked it up and read the scrawled handwriting carefully:

_Had to take care of something urgently. Stay as long as you like. Not sure when I'll be back._

He felt a sinking feeling in his stomach, something about the knife being gone too didn't sit well with him at all. He shuddered as he suddenly felt very cold in the empty flat, so he pulled on his discarded clothes quickly and debated what to do. It was the middle of the night and he didn't really have any way of getting home even if he wanted to; his head hurt if he moved too suddenly and he knew the hangover was beginning to settle in. He moved over to the windows that looked down onto the street and there were multiple cars outside the building parked rather clumsily. Then he saw two figures moving on the pavement far below, they were practically running from the building and into the closest car before speedily driving off. Ringo thought it could've been George but he couldn't know for sure from so high up, but say it was George and John where were they rushing off to so late at night? And where was Paul? Ringo didn't want to start thinking about it too intensely because no doubt his brain would run off to the worst possibility and he'd be in a panic. He had to expect something suspicious happening sooner or later if he was going to associate with George, but he hadn't thought it'd be this soon. He stayed by the window for a long time in the hopes that those cars would return and he'd see George returning home safe and unharmed but an hour had passed with no sign of them. Despite his worries, his eyes began to grow heavy and he could barely sit up without his head dropping. He made his way back the sofa and wrapped the blanket around to gain the smallest sense of safety. He tried to battle the tiredness as though if he stayed awake hoping for the best it was bound to happen, and as soon as he fell asleep the worst would occur. Eventually he gave in and fell back asleep on that same sofa, he missed the weight of George lying with him more than he thought he would.

* * *

Hours later the door shut once again and George shuffled into the flat weakly holding his side. He smiled when he saw Ringo sleepy peacefully on the sofa and debated whether to wake him or not. It was around 7 in the morning now and George was in desperate need of sleep but his mind was racing. He sat down on the chair opposite Ringo and lit a cigarette, relaxing as much as he could with the pain surging through his body. The older man stirred, turning in his sleep before slowly opening his eyes. It took him a while to fully notice George sitting in front of him but when it clicked he sat up immediately, which sent a wave of pain through his head.

"George!" He didn't mean to sound so relieved but it was difficult to hide "What happened? I tried to stay up but-" It was difficult to see in the low light of the room but he began to make out bruises on his face and how hunched over he was "You're hurt!"

George chuckled weakly and took another drag of his cigarette "I'm fine, really." He didn't sound fine at all "You should see the other guy." He tried to laugh again but he started to cough huskily.

Ringo got up from the sofa and made his way over to George, kneeling down in front of him and placing a hand on his knee. He looked pretty battered with a cut eyebrow, a black eye and bruises covering his face which only continued onto the skin hidden by his clothes. Ringo's eyes trailed down his chest to where George was holding his side tightly and saw the dark red stains on his shirt, he leaped back somewhat and felt his voice waver.

"You've been stabbed! What the fuck happened?" Ringo felt anger bubbling in him but he didn't know who it was directed at.

"Please don't worry." George flashed him a smile but he couldn't hide the pain behind it "I'm fine really, they fixed me up as best they could, I've just gotta rest for a while. Got into a spot of bother and it turned nasty. We've been having trouble with this family for a while now and they thought it'd be a smart idea to go after Paul, they kidnapped him basically and we had to get him back. John had been worried about him since he never came home last night but I thought it was nothing, turns out I was wrong." He took another drag of his cigarette.

Ringo tightened his grip on George's knee and looked up at him with pleading eyes "That's awful... Is everyone else alright?"

"Yeah, luckily. Me and John went in to talk to them, they wanted a fuck ton of money in exchange for Paul and John just wasn't having it. He demanded to see him and when he saw Paul all tied and beaten up he just went ballistic and that's when it got nasty. Was just the two of us against a whole group of them but somehow we got out alive, not without some cunt catching me in the side though. We carried Paul out of there and they fixed us up, John's not looking too good either, and here I am." George sounded beyond exhausted but he was still trying to sound somewhat cheery for Ringo's sake.

"Is there anything I can do?" Ringo felt on the verge of tears the more he thought about George in that situation, and just how terrible he must be feeling right now.

"A drink would be nice." George smirked and Ringo got up immediately to fetch some alcohol "And-"

Ringo halted and turned "Yes?"

"Would you stay with me while I sleep? If you want to go that's fine, but I'd kick myself if I didn't at least ask." He looked at the floor as he spoke, a shyness Ringo hadn't expected from George.

"Of course." Ringo smiled, feeling a blush spreading on his cheeks, before ducking into the kitchen to find the whiskey.

He returned with the bottle and poured them both a drink, giving George far more than himself. Ringo helped George move over to the sofa and they sat without saying much for a while. It pained Ringo to hear George struggle to breathe and he wished there was something he could do. A few moments later George rested his head on Ringo's shoulder hesitantly, he responded by tilting his head to rest on George's. Ringo rested his hand once again on George's leg, rubbing his thumb comfortingly on his thigh which warranted a small hum from the younger man. Then Ringo felt George's hand interlacing with his own, even after what they'd done only a few hours before he was still shocked somewhat at this intimacy. They continued to sit in silence, neither feeling the desire to move, until Ringo heard George's breath getting heavier and louder and he discovered he'd fallen asleep on him. Ringo smiled at the realisation and decided it was best to get George into bed, so he slipped out from under him as carefully as he could and picked him up gently.

George was surprisingly light and Ringo could carry him without much trouble, and they made their way to the bedroom which took Ringo a minute or two to find. George's room was dark with the curtains drawn but Ringo could still tell it was rather messy. The bed wasn't made and there were piles of clothes on the floor, the ashtray was filled with cigarettes and there were empty glasses littered about the room. He lowered George softly onto the bed and began to take his shoes off when he noticed specks of blood on his ankles. He took off his belt and jacket carefully and winced when he saw the blood stain on his shirt again, but it looked very dark so Ringo could at least be reassured that the bleeding had stopped. He climbed into bed beside him slowly and pulled the soft covers on top of them both. George looked very peaceful while he slept and it comforted Ringo somewhat. It was difficult to comprehend that someone who looked as harmless as George in this moment was capable of such terrible things, and had actually done such things. He thought of the knife he'd shown him earlier and how he would've used it tonight, even worse was the thought of the knife that pierced him. He wondered how many bruises and scars lay underneath his clothing, and wondered if he'd get a chance to see them.

Ringo's mind was plagued with an array of thoughts, none of them comforting. How had this all ended this way? A couple weeks ago he had almost no worries, just mindlessly working and carrying on with his life as normal. Then George had entered the picture and turned everything upside down with his devilish grin and gentle fingers. Ringo wasn't sure what any of it meant, and he didn't know how to figure it out. Here he was lying beside a criminal, possibly even a murderer, yet the only thing that scared him was the possibility of George getting hurt. George easily could have been in Paul's position tonight, and the feeling made Ringo sick to his stomach. He began to understand what George had said to him at dinner about an unshakeable desire to protect someone, even if you didn't really know them. Ringo felt rather helpless in the protection department, but he knew the most he could do right now was to simply be there for George, and he was more than happy to do that. What would happen in the morning Ringo didn't know, and what would follow beyond that he knew even less.

The morning light began to creep through the curtains and Ringo thanked his luck that he had nowhere to be today, and decided to try and sleep for as long as he could. He turned onto his side and ran his hand carefully over George's chest who fidgeted at the contact but a small smile grew on his lips. Ringo scooted a little closer to him and took a final look at his face, his bruised but still beautiful face, before closing his eyes and submitting to sleep. 


	6. Rough Treatment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> George's perspective of what happened the night before. Himself and John desperately try to rescue Paul and return home in one piece.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Violence warning for this chapter! If you don't like that kind of stuff just skip ahead, it's just what happened when John and George went to rescue Paul.

The heavy sound of thumping against the front door echoed through the flat loudly and George immediately shot up, being a light sleeper was one of the many things he had to adapt to in his profession. He leaped over Ringo cautiously, careful not to wake the smaller man, and rushed over to the door to swing it open, finding John looking frenzied. He was fully dressed and George could see the light outline of a gun under his jacket, yet another thing he quickly had to learn to notice, but he still looked somewhat dishevelled with his tie askew and his hair ruffled.

"Get dressed, now. It's Paul." John ordered and George simply nodded, spinning around to collect his discarded coat from the floor, his knife from the table and rushing into his bedroom to pick up his gun. There was no time to panic, as soon as he allowed himself a moment to think about the severity of the situation he wouldn't be able to function. He hurried back to the door where John was struggling to keep his composure, beads of sweat collecting on his forehead. George simply nodded to him and they made their way to the stairwell as they couldn't afford to wait for the lift. George slammed the door behind him without bothering to lock it, causing Ringo to stir.

At times like this George cursed how they lived so high up in the tower, but it had been insisted that they were as close to the top as possible as though it made them somehow better than everyone else. It was all about status, his superiors used to say, to know that you were above others. John was clearly finding it difficult to keep it together as he rushed down the stairs rapidly, almost slipping on the steps at times and George began to worry; if something had already happened to Paul, how was John going to handle it? It was best not to think about it, not when they didn't have all the information. They managed to get to the lobby fairly quickly and they dashed out of the front door where they found an array of cars waiting for them, they rushed into the closest one and tried to catch their breath. In the front seat was their superior, George had never liked him much, who looked at them disapprovingly as if they kept him waiting. The cars sped off quickly before John and George could even begin to relax, this was bad... There had always been tensions with the other families and every so often someone would overstep the boundaries, but it had never been anyone George truly cared about before, and he dreaded to think the situation Paul might be in right now. When George had spoken to John last night he seemed extremely worried that Paul hadn't come home that evening which wasn't particularly rare, but it wasn't often that John didn't know where he was and it was putting John on edge with all the threats they'd been getting from this family. There had been a few isolated fights in bars between groups but nothing major and George didn't expect it to bubble up like this.

"What's the plan?" John spoke rapidly, he was gripping onto the edge of the seat desperately.

"All we know is that they've got Paul hostage. They said they have terms they want to hash out, but haven't said what." Their superior spoke facing forwards, he sounded completely calm "We wouldn't even be asking you two along, but they insisted that they spoke to you alone. I'm completely against it, but they didn't want to run the risk of Paul getting hurt. He already sounded pretty beaten up."

George took a sharp inhale when he heard the plan, they'd never done anything this high profile alone before and he had no idea if they'd be able to get Paul back safely. He looked over to John in an attempt to show a knowing look but he was just gazing out of the window, his hand still gripping tightly on the car seat. If he felt confident enough on his own he'd insist that John stayed behind, but he doubt he'd even allow it. As close as George was to Paul, John knew him better by far and the two shared an insanely close bond. They drove the remainder of the way in near silence, George fiddled with his gun in preparation and tried to compose himself. When the cars came to a halt John finally returned to reality and he took a deep breath, then passed George a sombre look to let him know that he was ready.

"We'll be here on the corner if you need us. I can't stress how important it is that you get this right, if you fuck up and leave here without Paul then I wouldn't bother coming back at all. Negotiate with them, I don't think there's a limit to how much he's willing to pay to get Paul back safe, and _don't_ do anything stupid." Their superior spoke bluntly and it didn't help George's nerves at all.

They stepped out of the car in silence and started walking down the empty street, it was horribly cold without their coats but neither of them noticed the chill. George took another look at John who walked with clenched fists and a tight jaw, looking determinedly ahead. 

"John..." George somehow managed to mask the nerves in his voice "I know how you must be feeling right now, but we really need to do this calmly... For Paul's sake."

John sighed and slowed his pace, looking at the ground "I can't stand the thought of it George. Paul all tied up and beaten, absolutely terrified and all alone. It should've been me instead."

George wasn't sure how to respond, Paul was always the one to calm him down if he got like this, he just gave John's arm a reassuring squeeze "You can't think like that. We're gonna get him back, we've just gotta be smart about it. Paul wouldn't want anyone to get hurt, even if it's for his own good."

John smiled at the thought of Paul's good nature, but the tension in his body still remained. Eventually they made their way to an abandoned warehouse where two threatening-looking men stood at the door, one was leaning on the wall and smoking a cigarette, the other looking focused with his arms across his chest. They nodded knowingly when George and John stood in front of them, giving them a surveying with their eyes, and opened the heavy door. George went first, he was feeling really nervous about the entire situation but most of all he worried that John might do something stupid. They found themselves in a dimly lit, mostly empty space which had a man positioned in every corner. In the centre was the one of the higher-ups of the Chapman family; they had been rising up the ranks at an alarming rate the past couple of years and seemed to have no issue about muscling their way to the top. Neither George nor John recognised their face but it was clear that he was the man they were here to see. He smiled at them devilishly as they entered the room and had the door shut tightly behind them.

"Such an honour to finally meet you both." His grin widened as he placed one of his hands in his pocket, no doubt fiddling with a knife "Now I'm sure you're worried sick about your good friend Paul, but rest assured he's very much alive with just a little wear and tear. You know how it is."

George began scoping the room, eyeing up each man individually and trying to gauge how many of them had guns and concluded it was the one in the furthest corner, and no doubt their gracious host was carrying too. The four men looked tough enough but George learned quickly that muscle and intimidation only went so far in this business, and his family had always valued skill and wit above all else, so he wasn't too alarmed. The central man worried George most of all, anyone who like to blab was dangerous and often unpredictable. John only stared straight ahead at the man and George wasn't even sure if he was listening, his mind seemed far more preoccupied with his bubbling anger.

"Now of course, you have no reason to believe me. You don't know me from Adam, so it's probably best if I show you." He clicked his fingers and one of the goons went into the next room, no doubt to fetch Paul.

There was nobody in the room with the hostage? These guys were amateurs, George thought, but that didn't make them any less of a threat; even if they weren't smart, they could have many tricks up their sleeve. The man returned from the room dragging Paul by the neck of his jacket, he tossed him onto the ground beside the negotiator. Paul fell down on his knees hard, he had tape over his mouth and his hands were bound together tightly with rope - George could see even from his position the red marks from where the rope had aggravated the skin, these guys were far from hospitable, and he had dark bruises on his face. The sight made George want to cry, he'd seen Paul beaten up before of course but never had he looked so defeated. John let out a grunt and his hand was twitching, eager to draw his gun, and Paul's weak gaze on him only seemed to infuriate him further.

"This should be simple. You give us the money, and we give you Paul. Mind, he doesn't come cheap and he's caused an awful amount of damage with the fuss he kicked up when he took him. We thought he'd be the calmest out of you lot, but I guess we were wrong." He took a step towards Paul who seemed to sink in his presence.

The thought of Paul fighting back against his kidnappers made George proud, they were wrong to underestimate him "How much?" He'd heard these situations go down once or twice, but he had never been the initiator of it all and be tried his best to replicate what he'd seen.

"50,000 ought to do it. After all, no price is too high for your precious Macca, right?" His tone was sinister and it made John scowl to hear Paul's nickname coming out of such a vile mouth.

"Are you mad!? 50 grand for beating the living shit out of him? He can barely fucking stand! If you don't think the consequences of this are gonna be dire, then you're wrong mate. Hand him over to us now, and we won't have to hurt you." John growled, this wasn't a good sign at all, and the man only laughed in response.

"Hurt me? Please, spare me the theatrics. You lads are full of fire, I'll give you that much. But let's not get carried away here, you wouldn't want to do something you'd regret." With this final word he pulled out his knife, it glistened in the low light of the room, and placed it slowly under Paul's chin and his eyes lit up in panic. "Would we?" 

George didn't even have time to think before he heard the gunshot, he barely had time to breathe before the man's body hit the floor lifelessly. John had never killed before, but he had acted without a second thought and no sign of regret. One shot went square in the man's head and another to the man in the corner closest to them, the bullet firing into his chest and killing him where he stood. George never liked using his gun and his first instinct was to always go for his knife, so he pulled it from his pocket and extended the blade before the chaos truly began. Luckily John had shot the only other guy with a gun, whether that was intentional or pure chance George didn't know, and the three other men pounced with their knives out. 

John took out his knife now, it would've been ridiculous to carry on shooting when things got hectic, luckily he remembered that even in his haze of rage. John rushed at one of the men and made quick work of getting him on his knees with a well-placed kick and a hard punch to the head. John was far stronger than he looked and the Chapman's plan of demanding some of the youngest of the family in hopes that they'd be weak and inexperienced had truly failed. John disarmed the man but took a hard punch in the stomach which winded him for a few seconds.

Meanwhile George was tackling two assailants and it wasn't easy, he ducked and dodged their knives as best he could as he had to focus hard on not being overpowered. He really hadn't anticipated this situation, and while he understood John's reaction completely he cursed him for being so impulsive. 

John pushed the larger man further onto the ground, kicking him hard in the ribs a couple of times to ensure he stayed down. His head was entirely empty of thoughts, he was running on pure adrenaline and instinct. He rushed over to George's aid and managed to grab one of the men from behind, kneeing them in the back and forcing them to the ground. George had already been punched around a fair bit but he didn't look shaken, barely taking his eyes off the other man for even a second. The worst part about situations like this was not knowing how far your opponent was willing to go, most people would submit and beg for mercy eventually but there were a few groups who were truly willing to fight to the death, and George worried that these men would fall into the latter category. The man swung at George's face and knocked him backwards, he managed to avoid the next one and landed a hard punch in his stomach. 

At the point George was gaining confidence that they might be able to handle it, the door was thrown open and the two guards from outside rushed in with their knives out. Distracted, George got punched in the side and stumbled backwards, he had to make peace with the fact he'd have to use his knife. The smell of blood and sweat was spreading throughout the room, the sounds of grunts and heavy breathing. George flashed John a look, he looked almost crazed. The man charged at George again, this time with his knife, but George acted faster and sunk his blade deep into the man's stomach and he pulled away with a scream. He moved his hands quickly down to his stomach, pulling them away to see them covered in warm blood.

It was three against two now, if only Paul was in a state fit for fighting the odds would be equal, but he remained tied up in the corner helplessly watching his friends. John had been pummelling the other man, pinning him down to the floor as his mercilessly punched his face again and again; he looked completely lifeless. George had to pull John away, he was getting lost in the haze of the violence. The man rolled over onto his side, his eyes puffed up, and spat a long trail of blood onto the floor. The guards helped him up to his feet and somehow he was able to stand, his shaking hand clinging to his knife. They were far larger than the two of them and George was already feeling exhausted, his chest badly bruised and his head swimming in pain. Then the other men were on them, one brandishing his blade and stabbing it sloppily into George's side, it pierced the skin but luckily wasn't too deep. 

"Fuck!" George screamed out, feeling the blood quickly dampening his shirt, but he had no time to even think about the pain as he speared his knife upward into his attacker, just below his ribs and holding it there for a few seconds, then pulling it out swiftly and pushing the limp body to the ground. 

The wounded man had managed to land several hard punches on John, he must've been running high on adrenaline and George winced thinking about how much pain he'd be in when it wore off. The second man was keeping John in place, grabbing his arms from behind while he got battered. George stumbled forward, his mind was getting hazy with the blood loss, and stabbed the man from behind in a last act of exertion. His grip on John slacked who was then able to pounce on the final man, knocking him to the floor once more and resuming his pummelling. The room was almost silent now, bodies littering the floor, excluding the rhythmic punches John threw on the man's bloodied face. Blood was spilling out all over the floor in pools and George struggled to avoid it as he shuffled over to John and placed a hand on his shoulder. 

"John-" George huffed, but John shoved him away with his shoulder and continued his assault. "John! We need to get the fuck out of here! Grab Paul and let's go!" He wanted to sound more commanding but he just sounded weak, he needed medical attention and quickly. 

John seemed deaf to George's words until he mentioned Paul, then his head lifted quickly to look at his friend who sat frightened in the corner. John rushed over and cut the restraints as carefully as he could but he was still shaking from the whole ordeal, he removed the tape from his mouth and Paul gasped for breath. 

"Can you walk?" John asked, he sounded close to tears. 

Paul tried to stand up, holding onto John's forearm tightly for support but when he tried to rise to his full height his knees buckled and he fell forward. John held him steadily then lifted him into his arms with ease. George finally had a moment of relief, seeing the two of them reunited, but it was short-lived with the repetitive pangs of pain shooting through his body. John looked over at George who simply nodded, he knew he was able to walk back to the car but anything further felt beyond his capabilities. And so they left the warehouse as quickly as they could, leaving behind the battered bodies. 

When they were in sight of the cars multiple men piled out to help them, one taking Paul quickly and lying him in the backseat of a car to see to his injuries. The rest crowded around John and George, one helping George walk as his pace weakened, and assessing the damage. It was at this point George learned John had also been stabbed, after his jacket was thrown off there was that too-familiar red mark on the back of his shirt. He had no idea when it happened but he was stunned at how easily he powered through the pain and George wondered if John even noticed it at all in his frenzy of emotion. John seemed far more interested in watching over Paul than getting any help himself, and he refused to lie down in the back of a car so he could be seen to, and instead was treated standing up beside the car Paul was in. 

George felt relieved as soon as he sat down and the exhaustion fell on him like a weight, he could barely feel the stitches going into his skin as he looked up at the night sky. It was rare that anyone was ever sent to the hospital, it was far too risky to send someone there if they'd been in a gang fight because the police were never too far behind. But there were limits to what their doctors could do, and there weren't always enough if any at all, so every so often they'd have to brave the repercussions. Luckily George had never been so unfortunate as to end up in hospital, and he prayed that his luck would continue. At some point their superior walked over to George with a face painted with disappointment, but he was far too checked out to pay him any attention and eventually he gave in and sent George home. Paul had to report to the higher-ups and John refused to let him go alone, so they went off in a separate car. George lay in the backseat of another, watching the streetlights as they drove back to his flat in silence.

It wasn't long before he began to return to the present and he began to think about the man he'd left on his sofa. He felt like shit, but the thought of being able to return home to Ringo's soft, blue eyes and wide smile made him feel just that little bit better. He only hoped that the sight of him in such a state wouldn't scare him away, he realised in that moment that he cared very much what Ringo thought about him. A weak smile spread on his face, he'd never had someone to return home to before and he hoped it would become a common occurrence. 


	7. Sobering Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ringo wakes up in George's bed to the sound of the phone ringing. Ringo can't stop staring at George, but still can't register what it all means.

Ringo awoke to the sound of the phone ringing. As he was dragged forcefully from his sleep he wondered if it was possible to get any uninterrupted rest at George's place. He arose sluggishly and saw George lying peacefully beside him, looking so beautiful that Ringo almost didn't want to wake him. _Almost_ , but the phone ringing was just too aggravating.

"George." Ringo spoke harshly, rocking the younger man somewhat forcefully in an attempt to wake him.

"Hmmmm?" George murmured, not opening his eyes and shifting slightly.

"The phone's going." Ringo couldn't help but smile at seeing George like this, all ruffled and sleepy.

"You get it." He muttered, turning over on his side in a defiant act to show that he wasn't going to be shaking off his sleep any time soon.

Ringo let out a huff, paused for a moment to see if George was going to get up, then slid out of bed himself to find the phone. The floor was cold beneath his feet and it only made him feel all the more awake. He located the phone easily and took a breath before lifting it up, he had no idea what was waiting on the other side. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off before he could get a word out.

"George! Thank God you're alright. I was in such a state yesterday and was hurried off before I could even check on you, I'm so sorry. How are you feeling? John looks like utter shit." It was Paul, and he could hear John protesting the remark in the background.

"Uh... George can't come to the phone right now. He's sleeping." Ringo spoke slowly, unsure whether it had been right to speak at all.

"Wha- Who's this?" Paul didn't sound any less frantic, Ringo could hear a weakness in his voice and he dreaded to think about the state he was in.

"It's Ringo... From th-"

"Ringo? What the bloody hell are you doing at George's? He didn't- Wait..." Paul's voice trailed off and Ringo supposed he had to explain, but wasn't sure how much his friends knew. Did they know George liked guys? Did George even _like_ guys? Maybe he just liked Ringo.

"Well, he wanted to apologise for the other day so got me dinner. I had a bit too much to drink so he let me sleep on his sofa." Ringo was still hesitant, was he even meant to know about all this? 

"Oh... Well that's great! Dunno why George didn't tell us." Paul immediately sounded more cheerful, but his voice was still masking pain "Is he alright though?" 

"As alright as he can be, I think. He probably just needs some sleep right now. Will a doctor be coming to see him at any point?" Ringo tried not to think about the bruises all over George's skin. 

"Yeah, yeah o'course. Some point today they'll pop round." Paul sounded so comfortable talking about this "Me and John should be heading home soonish, maybe we'll pop by." 

"Ha, yeah sure thing." Ringo still wasn't sure what to make of all this, Paul was talking to him like they were buddies and it made him feel a little off. 

"Well, I won't keep you. Just wanted to know George was alright, I'll let you get back to him." Paul didn't even give Ringo an opportunity to respond, he was already talking to John then hung up the phone. 

Ringo felt uneasy about Paul's choice of words, maybe they did know about George after all. But even if they did, Ringo didn't want them know about _him_ , he wasn't even sure if there was anything _to_ know. All of the chaos from last night had made him almost forget about what he and George had done, what Ringo had allowed George to do. When he asked the question to himself, it didn't feel right to say that he was gay. But he couldn't deny it outright after how much he'd enjoyed last night, how much he craved George's mouth on him again, and how a girl had never made him feel quite like that. Maybe he wasn't gay, maybe George was just an exception... That didn't seem right either. Ringo let out another heavy sigh as he put the phone down, tentatively heading back to George's bedroom. 

He opened the door slowly, trying his best not to wake George, but when he entered the room he saw that he was already awake. He was lying up on his elbows, still looking groggy, and passed Ringo a small smile. 

"G'morning." He spoke roughly, having more of an effect on Ringo that he'd care to admit. 

"Morning." He shuffled back towards the bed, not feeling entirely comfortable enough to get back under the covers "How you feeling?" 

George tried to sit up further and groaned with the attempt "I've been much better, but I've been much worse. Believe it or not, being stabbed never gets easier." 

"I can believe it." Ringo chuckled, finding it hard to hide the sadness in his voice. 

"Who was on the phone?" George asked calmly as he began undoing his shirt buttons, Ringo couldn't pull his eyes away from his fingers. 

"Paul. He was just checking up on you. Sounded pretty worried." Ringo explained, fiddling with the corner of the duvet as he forced his eyes to look elsewhere. 

"Yeah, that doesn't surprise me. No matter how old I get he still treats me like a kid sometimes. Even when I'm the one saving his arse." George was taking his shirt off now, he groaned again as he felt his muscles crying out in pain "Can you do me a favour? Grab a shirt from my wardrobe, preferably one that isn't covered in blood." 

Ringo sprang up from the bed and made his way to the wardrobe, it was one of those fancy built-in ones with mirrors on all the doors. In the reflection he could see George lying there shirtless, Ringo had never seen his bare chest before; his slim frame with the subtle lines of muscle running down his stomach and over his arms. Then his eyes fixated on the bandage covering his stab wound, it was dark with blood and needed redressing. George was looking right back at him, he didn't seem to mind being stared at, and when Ringo noticed this he busied himself with finding a shirt, trying to ignore the burning feeling in his cheeks. When he found a clean, white shirt for George to wear he carried it over to the bed sheepishly, handing it to other man. Ringo sat at the edge of the bed again, not wanting to face George with the fear that he'd keep staring at him. He heard George struggling and shuffling behind him as he put his shirt on, and Ringo couldn't help stealing glances in the mirror. It was silent in the room for a while, Ringo unsure about what he should do next. 

"You've never been with a guy before, have you?" George said bluntly, startling Ringo and making him turn around with a stunned expression which made George chuckle "Sorry, I don't mean to be rude. We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." 

Ringo paused for a moment, looking down at his hands "No, I haven't. I've never even thought about it before." 

"Wow, I'm just that irresistible?" George laughed, he wheezed somewhat. 

"Suppose you must be." Ringo chuckled nervously "You been with a lot of guys, then?" 

"Here and there. Being with girls just never felt right, you know? But I must say I've never stalked a guy into bed before." He was getting up from the bed now as best he could, he stumbled on his way up and Ringo rushed over to help him before he even realised what he was doing. 

"Don't put it like that." Ringo mumbled, gripping onto George tightly to hold him up. 

"Did you like it? Must've been pretty weird for you." George was relaxing his weight into Ringo, allowing himself to be supported. 

"Y-Yeah I liked it..." Ringo looked up into George's eyes who, despite his feeble state, still had such a powerful look about him. "Did you think I was gay, when you met me, I mean?" 

George chuckled "I dunno, I suppose I hoped that you were. I got lucky."

Ringo tore his eyes away from George, adjusting his position somewhat so that he could support him more "Is there somewhere you wanna go or are we gonna stand like this all day?" 

"I can think of worse things to be doing." George paused for a moment "I do need a piss though." 

Ringo began helping him walk out of the room "Well I'm not helping you with _that_." 

"Why not? I touched your cock but you can't touch mine?" George flashed a grin, revealing his sharp teeth. 

"That's not the same, and you know it." Ringo huffed, navigating his way to the bathroom and opening the door, trying not to think about how dirty the word sounded coming out of George's mouth. 

"You're pretty strong, you know." George held himself up by the door handle, eyeing Ringo up and down.

"Side effect of lugging a drum kit around, I suppose." Ringo spoke plainly, trying not to focus on how George was looking at him. 

"You drum? That's cool." George's tone lightened up "You any good?" 

"I like to think so. Could always be better, I don't practice as much as I'd like. Only time I get to play really is my days off." Ringo explained, leaning against the wall. 

"Like today? And here I am taking up all your time..." George grinned again. 

"I can think of worse things to be doing." Ringo retorted, proud he was able to give George's words back to him, but they only made the dark look in his eyes more intense, putting Ringo on edge again. "Now go and piss, Christ. Anyone would think you're trying it on with me." 

George laughed at this then retreated into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him slowly. This gave Ringo a chance to finally relax for a minute, he walked back over to the windows overlooking the street and just gazed out into the world. He didn't have any plans today, besides doing some drumming, but there was something inside him begging him to stay with George, he wasn't sure if it was just sympathy or something else. Eventually the man in question re-emerged, shuffling into the living room and smiling when he saw the smaller man. 

"You want some breakfast? All I've got is toast but it's better than nothing." George already started heading to the kitchen and Ringo was quick to follow. 

"All this money and you're living off bread and butter? And I thought _I_ had it rough." He chuckled as George rustled through his cupboards.

George finally pulled out a loaf of bread from one of the cabinets, but disappointment spread across his face when he opened it up. Ringo just laughed, walking over and seeing the expiration date of two weeks ago. George just frowned and hobbled over to the fridge. 

"Any recipes you know that include butter aaaaand... Two eggs?" George poked his head out from behind the fridge door to see Ringo looking at him amused. 

"No wonder you're a bloody twig George, eating like this." Ringo looked through the cupboards, finding almost nothing. 

"Well we go out to eat. At your place usually." George followed behind Ringo "Let's just go out." 

"George you are in no state to be going _anywhere_." Ringo chuckled but felt somewhat startled with how close George was standing to him. "I could always pop down to the shops and pick up a few things." 

George looked surprised at this suggestion, and Ringo wondered if he even knew where the nearest shop was "Sure, if you don't mind. Lemme get you some money." 

Ringo was about to protest but George was already gone, he could move fairly quickly when he wanted to, Ringo noticed. He came back into the kitchen with another £20 note, which Ringo took reluctantly. 

"What are you expecting me to buy, caviar?" He laughed but put the money in his pocket nonetheless. 

George shrugged "Paul usually does my shopping for me, I never ask him to but he insists." 

"Jesus... I don't know what's more dangerous, getting stabbed in the night or not knowing how much bacon costs." Ringo joked and it made George smile, he looked so beautiful when he smiled "I'll be back in a tick." He vanished to grab his coat from the living room floor. 

Before he walked out the front door, George shouted thanks after him. Ringo just gave him a quick smile and a wave before heading to the lift. He still felt so out of place in this fancy building, especially without George guiding him through it. While in the lift his thoughts drifted back into dangerous territory, with pressing questions and uncomfortable realisations. 

George had spoken about being with other men like it was nothing, like it was normal. Wasn't it normal? Ringo wasn't sure anymore. He had never been outrightly against the whole thing, but he'd never known any gay people and he certainly hadn't expected himself to have even the slightest attraction towards men. It was far too confusing, and the more he thought about it, the more the fear of the whole thing consumed him, and he had to shake it from his mind. 

It didn't take too long to find the nearest shop and he picked up a couple of things to cook a nice breakfast. He wasn't sure when the thought had really come to him, it had just been instinctive, like they were already a couple or something. Ringo regretted thinking that word as soon as it left his thoughts - couple? He was acting like a schoolgirl, fawning over the first guy to give her any attention. He never acted like this with the girls he was with, not to say that he wasn't considerate or anything, but they'd almost always be gone by the morning and the most they'd get would be a couple of pieces of toast and a cup of tea. 

He got a strange look from the doorman when he came back into the building, or at least he thought he did. Did he know? What was there to know? Ringo couldn't help feeling that there was some unspoken understanding of everyone around him about what he'd done last night. It made him shudder to think about it, and he had to push the thoughts from his mind as he climbed into the lift once more. 

As he walked up to George's door he could hear voices inside, he paused on the other side and stopped to listen as best he could, it didn't take long for him to identify the voices of John and Paul. 

"Jesus, George. The first time? I didn't even do that for John for _months_." Paul spoke, Ringo cringed as he guessed what they were talking about. 

"I dunno, it just felt like the right thing to do y'know. It was his first time, wanted it to be special." George sounded different to how he did when they were alone, like he wasn't the dominant force anymore. 

"Oooh, special. Did you get the candles and rose petals out too?" John chimed in and Ringo could hear one of the other boys shove him lightly. 

"Shut up. I like him, alright?" George mumbled, and Ringo froze in place. _Like_ him? What did that mean? Oh God, this was all getting too much. He couldn't bear to listen to this anymore, but he couldn't just burst in right now, it would be far too awkward, but he couldn't just run away either. 

"Just be careful, George. I don't want you getting hurt again. After that last guy I didn't think I'd ever see you again, you and your bed had practically become one." Paul chuckled but his tone was serious. 

"It won't be like that, Ringo's-" George was cut off by the door swinging open, revealing the man in question looking rather awkward. 

"Ringo's what?" He forced a laugh. He just couldn't stand to eavesdrop of their conversation anymore, there was a reason George was saying this all in private, and as interested as he was, Ringo didn't think he was ready to consider what any of this meant. 

"Getting breakfast." George smiled sheepishly, managing to get up from the sofa to guide Ringo into the kitchen. 

Ringo tried not to look at Paul and John for too long, who were directly staring at him, their injuries were even worse than George's and it pained him to even think about it. 

George helped Ringo unpack the groceries, he was still moving slowly but he didn't seem to be in as much pain as before. 

"Thanks for doing this." George spoke quietly and Ringo wondered why he didn't want the others to hear. 

"It's no big deal, honestly. It's the least I can do after that lovely dinner you got me." Ringo matched his low volume. 

When everything was packed away, George moved closer to Ringo and trapped him in a corner of the kitchen. Ringo looked up at the taller man in alarm who was the picture of composure. 

"I'd love to take you out again, Ringo." George whispered now and Ringo hated how much he loved to hear George say his name "And I'd love to make you feel good again." He moved his hand to Ringo's neck, idly playing with his hair "Would you like that?" 

Ringo gulped and nodded "Yes... I'd like that very much." 

George let out a low chuckle, rubbed the skin of Ringo's cheek with his thumb and planted a soft kiss on his lips. If there weren't two others in the room right next to them, Ringo wondered whether he'd push into the kiss more, desperate to feel George's tongue on his the way he had last night. He cursed John and Paul for being there, but the thought of doing that again with George, completely sober, also terrified him. The kiss felt like it lasted longer than it actually did, and Ringo let out a choked breath when George pulled away. George let out a satisfied noise and licked his lips subtly, before leaving the room to poke his head round the door. 

Ringo could hear him asking the others if they wanted any breakfast, but it sounded like it was miles off. He stood rooted to the spot, his lips tingling in a way he'd never felt it before. It was no longer a question of whether he liked it or not, he knew he liked it and he wanted _more_. 


	8. Wake Up Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ringo spends the morning with George, Paul and John but can't help feeling uncomfortable. Back at work his co-worker hurts him unintentionally. George gives Ringo a surprise, and he has to seriously think about his sexuality.

Ringo had sat with John, Paul and George for an hour or two not really saying much. The three of them were joking like everything was normal, like Paul didn't have his arm in a sling and George could move without aggravating his stab wound, it was a strange sight. But when Ringo thought of the alternative, of them all sitting around mournfully and complaining about the pain, he decided it could've been worse.

Him and George had made breakfast for the four of them, although it had mainly been Ringo showing George how to fry an egg. How this boy was allowed to live on his own was a mystery to Ringo. While alone in the kitchen the two shared knowing glances, brushed up against one another closer than had been necessary, had lingered their touches when passing something to the other. It was close to driving Ringo out of his mind, but he focused on remaining composed and somehow managed to serve breakfast with all his clothes still on.

John and Paul hadn't paid much attention to Ringo after they realised he wasn't really in the mood for talking. John had teased him a couple of times about himself and George, but when Ringo would only weakly chuckle and continue eating, he gave up. Paul tried to steer the conversation away, to ask more questions about Ringo himself, but he had just felt so uncomfortable about being in a room with three men who knew something about Ringo that he himself wasn't even sure about, he couldn't even find the energy to be polite. 

It was getting later in the day now, and Ringo came to the realisation that if he didn't leave soon he may end up spending another night here, and that he certainly wasn't prepared for. He waited until John had gone to the bathroom, then stood up to announce his exit. 

"I should probably be heading off." Ringo spoke the loudest he had over these past couple hours "Get a change of clothes, fit some drumming in while the neighbours are at work..."

George looked saddened at his words and while Paul's facial expression was relatively blank, Ringo sensed that a part of him was hoping he would stay, for George's sake. Even so, George stood up and led Ringo to the door. When Ringo stepped out into the hallway, George followed him, gently closing the door behind him so that they could be alone.

"Will I see you again?" George asked, moving a stray hair of Ringo's behind his ear.

"Er- I suppose so." Ringo stammered, his mouth dried up seeing George this close.

"It's fine if you don't want to. If this was a one time thing for you, it won't hurt my feelings." George spoke lowly, and despite his words Ringo could hear the disappointment in his voice and it hurt him to think he may have upset George.

"No, I want to... It's just all a bit much, right now. I don't want to give you the wrong idea or anything, you know?" Ringo looked down at the ground but George caught his chin with his finger, lifting up his face so that they were eye to eye.

"I understand. But if you need someone to test the waters with, I'd be more than happy to oblige." George winked and it made Ringo weak in the knees.

"I'll- uh. I'll keep that in mind." Ringo chuckled nervously.

George smiled down at him, his finger still caressing his jaw, then leaned in to capture his lips. It was another short, soft kiss, over before Ringo could really compute what was happening. George began to pull away but Ringo grabbed the sides of his face rather sloppily, and kissed the taller man deeply. It had caught George by surprise, he froze for a moment before reciprocating Ringo's energy, grabbing his hair roughly and placing his other hand on his lower back. Ringo breathed in heavily, trying to capture as much of George's scent as he could, savouring the taste of his lips and the feeling of his hands on his body. He felt his stomach stirring as George lightly bit his lower lip, and he had to force himself to pull away lest things get taken too far.

George looked smug and satisfied when Ringo pulled away, a look which a part of Ringo hated "I can kick Paul and John out right now if you want." His voice had grown deeper, Ringo thought it was sinful how good he sounded when he was getting aroused.

Ringo let out a quiet laugh "No, I really should be going. Thanks again for dinner, I really appreciate it. And thanks for..." His voice trailed off.

"Thanks for giving you the best blowjob of your life? You're welcome." George grinned.

"What makes you say it was the best?" Ringo teased with a raise of his eyebrow.

"You gonna tell me it wasn't?" George hummed, running his thumb over Ringo's plump lip.

Ringo shuddered at the contact and took a step back "Alright, I really do have to go."

"If you insist." George leaned against the door, his slim leg crossing over the other "I'll see you soon though?"

"Well, you know where I work _and_ where I live so... I couldn't really get away if I wanted to." Ringo chuckled as he made his way to the lift.

"But you don't want to." George called after him, and Ringo cursed in his mind that George was so confident about it all, and that he had been right.

* * *

Ringo tried his best to keep his thoughts at bay during his walk back to his car. When he climbed into the driver's seat, he gripped the wheel tightly and let out a heavy breath. He didn't know whether he felt better or worse now that he was alone; part of him was relieved to be free of George's piercing eyes and sultry voice, but he couldn't deny that he missed being near him. He shook his head as though the thoughts would fly out of his brain, then put his key in the ignition and drove home.

When unlocking his front door he had the horrible feeling that he was being watched, that his neighbours were glaring at him from their windows because they _knew_. He kept glancing over his shoulder before he finally retreated into his hall, the house sounded so much emptier than it usually did.

Before he started on his drumming he needed a bath, it turned out that falling asleep right after a blowjob hadn't been the best idea, and even if George had, well, done _that,_ he still felt a little gross.

He stripped off his clothes lazily and stepped into the hot water, he knew he should've left it to cool for a while longer but he was too impatient, and he quite liked the sting on his skin. Now he could fully relax, rubbing soap on his skin and letting his hair flow in the water. He sunk deeper into the bath, resting his head on the porcelain and letting out a sigh. The silence of the room was comforting, just the soft sloshing of the water as he shifted to get comfortable. His mind began to wander, thinking about what songs he wanted to practice today, when he'd next be working, what he would eat for dinner, before it landed on a pair of dark brown eyes, with a sharp-toothed grin. George.

It was impossible to deny that George was beautiful, Ringo thought, even from an objective viewpoint. He had thick hair that framed his pale face, cheekbones that any girl would kill for and a slender frame that might have made any other man look weak, but not George. His eyes were so intense and his demeanour somewhat intimidating, and Ringo now knew that he wasn't all skin and bones but supple muscle. Ringo let out a struggled breath as his mind went back to see George shirtless, his eyes fixed on Ringo's, how his slim fingers looked when unbuttoning his shirt. _God_.

Ringo's fingers trailed up and down his thigh, sending a ticklish tingle through his body as he imagined George's hand in place of his own. He thought about George's body pressed up against him, how much he liked the feeling of firm muscle against muscle, the sharpness of his hips and roughness of his touch. His hand slipped upwards now, circling his growing erection. It made him shudder to think George had touched him there, had put his cock into his mouth, and how much he had _loved_ it. He started to rub up and down his shaft, letting out a choked moan as he pictured George's eyes looking up at him as he took Ringo's whole length into his mouth. The sounds of George choking, the wetness and both of their moans filling the room. He moved his hand faster, and faster, gripping the side of the bath with his other hand as he began to thrust up into his palm. He thought about George doing this to him, he wished he was, as he edged closer and closer to climax. He heard George's deep voice in his ear.

_I'd love to make you feel good again._

Ringo shuddered again, his mind racing over all the things he'd love to hear spilling out of George's mouth. He loved his voice, his eyes, his touch, his everything. His head was swimming, his thoughts clouding as he frantically jerked himself, getting closer and closer until he finally came. As he pushed himself over the edge his mind was filled with the vision of George swallowing around him, swallowing his load without a second thought.

When his breaths slowed, his eyes opening and his muscles relaxing again into the water he soberly had to confront what he had just done. He had came thinking about another man, about _George_. For some reason this felt a lot more serious than what they'd done last night; for starters he had been drunk, and George had taken the initiative. Ultimately he had _let_ George do that to him, as much as he urged him on it didn't feel quite the same as making the decision himself. Ringo felt dirty, ashamed, as he washed himself off quickly and stepped out of the bath, wrapping himself in a towel and sitting on the edge of the tub. Why was this so difficult? It felt like it was out of his control, like something was taking over him. He put his head in his hands, letting out a low groan, and sat there for a while.

The best thing to do, Ringo figured, was to just focus solely on his drumming for the rest of the day and absord his mind in mindless television before he went to bed. Then, before he knew it, he'd be back at work with endless distractions to keep his mind off of that dreadful, but gorgeous, man. And that's exactly what Ringo did, he hammered his drums for hours on end until he felt blisters starting to form on his fingers. Then he cooked himself a lazy spaghetti bolognese and slumped in front of the television for hours until he felt tired enough to fall asleep. He purposefully waited until he could barely keep his eyes open before retiring to his bed, for he didn't want to risk a repeat of what happened in the bath earlier. His mind felt like his enemy, always returning to the last thing he wanted to think about in that moment.

Still he was able to fall asleep with minimal thoughts about George, not to say there wasn't any at all. He was regrettably comforted at the thought of George lying in the bed beside him, of wrapping his arms around the man, resting his head under his chin. This was the thought Ringo fell asleep to, as much as he had wanted to avoid it.

* * *

The next few days were fairly ordinary, Ringo continued to work long shifts and collapsed into his bed every night. He still avoided that alleyway, no matter how exhausted he felt or how unlikely he thought it was that he'd get mugged a second time, the thought of even being there scared him. Every time he heard the bell ring to announce another customer, Ringo would spin around excitedly at the hopes that it was George, but to no avail. He'd even be happy to see Paul or John, just so he could ask how George was doing, but there was no sign of them.

"What happened to your big tipper?" His co-worker joked one shift, giving him a wink which gave Ringo that horrible sinking feeling of being found out.

"No clue..." Ringo mumbled, pretending to be interested in a coffee stain on one of the tables.

"That's a shame, I was hoping I'd be able to get in on it." He was only trying to be friendly, but Ringo didn't want to hear it, he was scared he'd betray himself talking about George. "They were an odd sort anyway, I've heard some right weird stories about them."

"Like what?" Ringo couldn't resist, taking his attention away from the tables.

"Well..." He lowered his voice, taking a step closer and looking around suspiciously "My mate said that he heard from his cousin's girlfriend, that she saw two of them walking down the street holding hands. Proper queer like. Not the scary one mind, the other two I think, but still if they're all hanging together I wouldn't be surprised if he was in on it too. You know what those fags are like, trying to convert the rest of us." He scoffed, and Ringo froze.

"O-Oh really?" Ringo gripped at the cloth in his hands, he could feel the threads tearing.

"It's probably for the best that they've fucked off now, don't want you to get mixed in with that lot. Probably got that money doing some right nasty things anyway." He was laughing now and Ringo felt anger bubbling inside him, but he had no idea how to release it without revealing too much.

"Yeah..." Was all Ringo could say, tearing at the cloth in his hand as sutbly as he could.

"Anyway, I've got my lunch break now. I'll see you later, yeah?" He started walking away and Ringo had to force a smile "Let me know if those fairies show up while I'm gone."

The sounds of laughter stung Ringo all over, and he found it near impossible to keep it together. Tears starting forming in the corners of his eyes and he had to try his best to blink them away. He took a deep breath, clenching his fist, and went out for a smoke break.

None of this was ever meant to get complicated, but it was difficult to hide from the reality of it all when it wasn't just Ringo's own mind telling him it was a bad idea. What his colleague said had really shaken him, and he wondered if he'd ever been making comments like that before that he'd never noticed, or even laughed along with him. Ringo couldn't help the way he felt about George, so why should he be judged for it? He wasn't hurting anyone. Ringo thought about John and Paul walking down the street holding hands, and how brave they were to do such a thing. He just wished he had someone to talk to about it, somebody who would understand, but there was nobody. Nobody except for George.

The cigarette helped calm his brain somewhat, but he couldn't stop his hand from lightly shaking as he tried to carry on with his shift. Maybe his feelings for George were wrong to some, but to him nothing had ever felt more right. His co-worker's opinions just made him feel all the more strongly about the younger man, as he had to admit to himself why those words had hurt so much.

_Fag._

_Fairies._

_Queer._

Of course Ringo had heard these words being thrown around for his whole life, especially when he was at school. But for the first time he felt a real pain towards them, because now they might actually apply to him.

* * *

A few more days had passed since Ringo swore he'd never cover another shift for his homophobic colleague. He just wished he was able to speak out, to defend George and his friends without making himself too much of a target. He just wasn't ready yet, he could barely admit it to himself let alone anyone else. 

He staggered home one night, utterly exhausted from a 12 hour shift, dragging his feet as his mind focused solely on his comfortable bed. When he turned the corner of his street, he could see something in the distance in front of his house. Immediately he panicked, and it filled him with enough energy to pick up his pace a little. As he got closer he realised it was a bouquet, one of red roses, and plenty of them. Quickly he looked around to see if anyone was watching him, he worried about how many of his neighbours might have seen the flowers outside his door. Without much thought he picked up the bouquet and hurried inside, walking into the kitchen to find something to put them in. As he admired them, they really were beautiful, he noticed a card attached which he pulled off and read in the artifical light of the kitchen.

_I need to see you. I'm going to a wedding next Thursday, and I want you to be my date. Give me a call, even if you just want to spend the night at mine again._

Ringo swallowed hard as he read the message, staring at the digits on the card for so long that they started to blur. He acted purely on instinct, leaving the flowers on the counter and rushing over to the phone to call George immediately. As the phone began to ring, Ringo realised how late it was and how rude he was being calling up at this time, but just as he was about to put the phone down a voice answered on the other end.

"Hello?" George's voice melted Ringo immediately, he forgot to speak for a few seconds.

"Hey George." Ringo tried to sound casual.

"Ringo! You got my flowers then, I take it?" George sounded so excited and Ringo couldn't help smiling.

"Y-Yes I did, they're very nice. Thank you... Nobody's ever gotten me flowers before." Ringo blushed at the thought, he had been so alerted by the gesture that he didn't stop to appreciate it.

"Another first? Well aren't I lucky." George chuckled and it caught Ringo by surprise, he felt a tightness in his chest.

"Uh-so what's this about a wedding?" Ringo awkwardly changed the subject, he couldn't handle thinking about anything like _that_ right now.

"Oh, yeah. Some girl's getting married and it's a big family affair. They can be kinda boring, but I think I could show you a good time." Ringo could hear the grin on George's face as he spoke.

"But your _date_? How would that work?" Ringo asked, twirling his finger around the phone line and he cursed himself for being so smitten.

"Basically I pick you up at your house, drive you to the wedding. We eat, we drink, we dance, then I take you back to mine and fuck your brains out. Sound good?" George laughed, only tightening the feeling in Ringo's chest.

"I meant like... Two men going together, isn't that weird?" Ringo stuttered out, he wish he didn't sound so flustered.

"Not really. There are some people in the family who are against it, but the worst you'll get is a nasty glare and a rude comment. Everyone's pretty accepting to an extent, they'll treat you like you're just my mate but they won't cause a scene if we dance together or share a kiss or two." George explained and Ringo's cheeks heated up at the thought of dancing with George.

"I see... Well in that case, I'd love to go." Ringo smiled, leaning against his wall now.

"Perfect. Have you got a nice suit to wear?" George asked.

"Well I don't know about _nice,_ but I've got a suit." Ringo said bashfully, he only owned one suit for family events and such but it probably wasn't up to George's standards.

"Tell you what, when are you next off work? I can stop by yours and we can go out to get you a proper suit. Can't have my date looking shabby now can I?" George's had a way of sounding so warm and cold at the same time, and it made Ringo shudder.

"Erm... I'm working tomorrow but I've got the next day off, if that works for you." Ringo didn't even pause to debate whether to say yes or not.

"Lovely. I'll swing by yours around 1-ish, then?"

"Sounds good to me."

"I'll see you then. I might have to get you two suits, just to be on the safe side."

"Why's that?"

"Cause you're gonna look so damn gorgeous in the first one I'm gonna have to rip it off you." George chuckled, and Ringo could feel himself getting hard, but before he could even quip back George had hung up the phone.

The repetitive sound of the disconnect tone shook Ringo out of the fantasy he'd been playing out in his head. He had to adjust his trousers as he walked back into the kitchen to put the flowers in some water. It really was a beautiful bouquet, Ringo had never really considered the romantic aspect of all of this, but now he was being confronted with it he had to admit that he liked it. He'd bought girls flowers before but it was never anything this grand, and he'd never really received anything in return, so it was nice to be the one being treated for a change. He inhaled deeply to smell the freshness of the flowers, when George's words echoed in his mind.

_I take you back to mine and fuck your brains out._

It only made the pressing issue in his trousers all the more pressing, and he hurried up to his bedroom to take care of it. For the second time that week he came to the thought of George, the moans spilling from his mouth begging for the other man's touch. As he was brought back to reality, lying there with cum splattered over his hand, he had to admit that there was a small chance that he might not be straight. Just a _small_ chance. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've really been enjoying writing this so I hope you guys are enjoying reading it too! If you've got any suggestions or improvements please don't hesitate to comment or message me on my tumblr mithranqueersmusings, I take requests there too!


	9. Measurements

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> George takes Ringo out to get a suit fitted.

Ringo's next shift felt like the longest one he'd ever experienced, his eyes constantly drawn to the clock as he counted down every individual minute. He was just desperate for this day to be over, he wished he could just sleep through it all, so that he could finally see George again. He even went to bed early for the first time in his adult life, just to hurry up the process, but he lay awake for hours in shameless excitement, just imagining how the following day would go. He didn't care about the new suit, or two, that George was going to buy him; as much as he appreciated his generosity, they could've had the most mundane thing in the world planned and he'd still be just as excited.

The following morning he tried to have a lie in, to wake up as close to 1 as possible, but around 9 he had the sad realisation that he was going to have to get up and fill the time. He decided to drum for a couple of hours, giving him enough time to shower and get ready for when George arrived. That was the plan at least, but at 12 o'clock almost on the dot there was a knock at his door. Luckily he had taken a break from drumming otherwise he wouldn't have heard it. As he made his way through the hall he stopped in front of a mirror: he looked an absolute state. His shirt and hair were clinging to his skin with sweat, his face all red from exhaustion. He cursed George for being early, but cursed himself more for cutting it so close; he had said 1-ish after all. Ringo opened the door tentatively, revealing a very happy looking George dressed yet again in a fine suit, Ringo wondered if he'd look as good as him after today but he knew that wasn't possible. When George saw the state Ringo was in, it only seemed to make him happier.

"Is this a bad time?" George chuckled, he had his arm leaning against the door frame "You did remember that I was coming today didn't you?" Ringo thought he detected a hint of panic in George's voice, but he wasn't sure.

"Sorry, you're just a bit earlier than I thought you'd be. I've been drumming the past few hours and haven't had a chance to shower." Ringo explained embarrassed, the cold air from the outside made his sweatiness all the more obvious.

"Don't apologise, it's a good look." George teased "Are you gonna let me in, or?"

Ringo stepped aside immediately, practically jumped, and George sauntered into the hallway, looking around in inspection. 

"Nice place." He said, despite only seeing the thin coridoor.

"You don't have to lie, it's a bit of a dump really. Nothing like the fancy pad you've got." Ringo chuckled and started walking through to the living room "I'll just pop into the shower quickly and get dressed, just make yourself at home."

George walked further into the room, surveying it in a way that wasn't condescending but curious "Why don't I join you?" He grinned and Ringo's eyes widened.

"What?" He stammered.

"I'm just kidding." George smiled innocently as he sat down on the sofa, but his eyes tokd a different story.

"Oh... Right. Well I'll just be a minute. Help yourself to a drink or something." He called behind him as he hurried up the stairs.

Seeing George in his house was strange, as though he was really beginning to become a part of Ringo's life. Seeing him in fancy restaurants or his posh flat was different, like it was part of a separate world, but now it felt _real_.

Ringo had one of the quickest showers he'd ever had in his life, drying his hair rapidly under his towel and rummaging around for something half-decent to wear. He held up a black jumper in front of his chest as he stood next to the mirror, he couldn't remember the last time he'd put any thought into what he wore. As he lowered his head to examine the slacks he'd picked out, he saw George in the reflection leaning on the doorway.

"Maybe you don't need the suit after all." George purred, looking at Ringo from behind and seeing him completely naked.

Ringo yelped, turning around and concealing himself with the clothes as much as he could. George walked further into the room, settling down onto Ringo's bed, he felt increasingly nervous as he thought about how dirty his sheets were - dirty with the remnants of his fantasies about George.

"There's really no need to dress up, you're gonna have to strip down when we get to the tailor's anyway." George lay down flat on the bed, and it made Ringo blush to see his face on those pillows "Just make sure you're at _least_ wearing boxers. A knob in the face isn't the best way to make a first impression."

Ringo chuckled but still felt nervous, he didn't feel ready for George to see him naked like this even though he had once before, feeling his surveying eyes just made him so nervous. George seemed to be able to read Ringo's expression, he pouted for a second before climbing off the bed and busying himself with pictures and other knicknacks on the other side of the room. Ringo used this opportunity as best he could, pulling on his clothes along with his nicest pair of boxers - which wasn't saying much. When George turned back around he gave Ringo one of his dark glares, like he wanted to eat him alive, and it made Ringo feel drunk.

"Ready to go, then?" George asked, fixing his hair in the mirror.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Ringo laughed, trying to sort out his sloppily dried hair as best he could.

"Great." George grinned, grabbing Ringo's hand and rushing out of the house. The sudden contact was intimate, and it made Ringo gasp to feel George's slim fingers pressed against his own.

As they exited the house, Ringo looked around suspiciously as he wondered if it might look peculiar at all for him to be leaving his house with such a man. He knew he was being ridiculous, they would've just looked like any old friends, but the shame he felt inside him couldn't help but make him nervous. 

"Now, can we take my car this time or are you still worried I'm gonna kidnap you?" George gestured to his car which was parked across the street, it was far nicer than Ringo's.

"No clue why you'd wanna kidnap me. The police would probably thank you for it." Ringo chuckled, walking over to George's car to signal his agreement.

"Oh, I dunno... I could see some benefits in having you bound and gagged all to myself." George grinned mercilessly, and Ringo was very pleased that he could hide his growing excitement behind the car. Why did that excite him? He'd never even thought about things like that before, that stuff was for _freaks_. But his mind couldn't help wandering, images of George tying his wrists together and having his way with him, being unable to shout out or even protest. It made Ringo feel hot, and he had to compose himself before getting into the passenger's seat.

"I've only just realised, you're wearing your rings." George hovered his hands over Ringo's fingers, just close enough but never touching "I like them."

"Thanks." Ringo said bashfully "Never feel quite the same without them."

"Now let's go and get you looking even _more_ handsome, if that's even possible." George winked as he started the car, and they began to drive down his road.

The drive to the tailor's wasn't that long, but it once again brought Ringo to a part of town he wasn't familiar with. It felt like a different city entirely, with the streets all pristine and ludicrously expensive shops dotted on every street. Ringo didn't even feel the desire to window shop, he knew he could only dream about buying some of the things that were on offer. During the journey, Ringo couldn't help looking back over at George, who remained mostly focused on the road ahead of them but every so often their eyes would meet and Ringo's breath would stop. How was George able to do so much to him with just a look? They didn't talk much, everything Ringo wanted to say he wouldn't dare to, but his mind couldn't even focus on anyhing else. He wanted to ask George to kiss him, to touch him, to drive him back to his so they could just have their way with one another. But he didn't. The bravest thing he could do in that moment was stare at the other man, that took courage enough.

When the car stopped outside the tailor's, George once again rushed out so that he could open the door for Ringo. He remembered how nervous he had felt the last time this happened, like George was running off to his accomplices who were all planning on murdering him, but now he felt a different kind of nervous. The sinking realisation of how much George liked him only made his own feelings harder to deny. He passed George a small smile as he stepped out of the car and looked up at the shop in amazement.

"You ever had a suit fitted before?" George asked as they walked up to the front entrance.

Ringo scoffed "'Course not."

"Well it's all very simple. He'll take you into the back room and take your measurements. Then he'll ask you a bunch of stuff about what kind of suit you want, if you don't know the answer I'll be just outside." George smiled reassuringly, holding the front door open so that Ringo could step inside.

As they entered, a bell rang throughout the shop, and soon a short, old man appeared from behind a curtain to greet him. He offered George the typical celebrity-like greeting that Ringo was becoming so accustomed to. He regarded Ringo on the other hand rather peculiarly, as if he could smell the poorness on him. Ringo told himself that he was just imagining things as the man guided him to the back room.

It had gone exactly as George had explained, although at no point did Ringo have to strip down to his underwear which he was very relieved about. Every so often the tailor would ask him something, like what kind of tie he would want or how many buttons on the jacket he would like. At first Ringo thought he would just blag his way through it, but when the questions become more confusing he didn't want to risk messing it all up and had to call George in a few times to help out. George always replied in a very suave manner, as he always did, but he'd always pass Ringo a reassuring glance before leaving into the other room. Every time this happened, Ringo felt the tailor getting more and more annoyed with him but he didn't really care, he didn't have much time for these snooty types anyway.

When they finished, the two of them walked back into the main room to find George reading a newspaper in one of the chairs, his leg was resting atop the other which really accentuated how slim they were, Ringo certainly made a note of that. The tailor beckoned George over to the desk, seemingly glad that he didn't need to deal with Ringo anymore, where they shared a quiet conversation. Ringo saw George writing a cheque, and he was glad he was too far away to see the amount for he knew it'd made him feel guilty.

"So." George began, walking back over to Ringo who was looking around confused "I'll come and pick it up in a couple of days, then I can drop it off at yours on Thursday."

"God yeah, Thursday. I need to make sure I get that off work." Ringo chuckled, he was relieved George had mentioned the day again or else he might've forgotten.

"Oh, well. If its too inconvenient you don't have to come. Just consider the suit a gift." George said with that sad looking taking over his face.

"Don't be stupid. Of course I want to come. Think I'm gonna pass up a chance to see your dance moves?" Ringo smiled and it instantly lifted George's mood.

They walked out of the shop then, George holding the door open for the older man once more. 

"I'd love to take you back to mine, but I've got some stuff I need to take care of. I'll drop you off o'course." George smiled sweetly as he climbed into the driver's seat again.

Ringo felt a little disappointed at this news, but a part of him always felt a little relieved when he was avoiding alone time with George; his feelings and thoughts were still at war in his head, and anything George would do to him back at his place would only complicate things further.

"That's alright, I should probably fit some drum practice in before it gets too late." Ringo hid his inner dialogue as he put on his seatbelt.

"I'd like to hear you play some time. Are you in a band?" George asked, his eyes glued to the road.

"No, not anymore. I used to be but it all kind of fizzled out. I've always wanted to pursue my drumming a bit more, but I've never really had the money or the time." Ringo explained, trying not to focus on George's tight grip on the steering wheel.

"Maybe I could help you out. We've got quite a lot of connections, and more money than sense. If I put in a good word about you I'm sure there'd be something." George

"Really? Wow, that'd be great. Thanks, George." Ringo felt a little taken aback, with all the troubles he'd been facing regarding his relationship with George he'd almost completely forgotten about George's 'job'.

"It's nothing really. I'm sure you can find some way to repay me." George smiled devilishly, his sharp teeth poking out from behind his lip, as he moved one of his hands from the steering wheel to rest on Ringo's thigh.

Ringo inhaled sharply at the touch, George lightly ran his palm up and down his thigh before giving it a tighter squeeze. George pulled his eyes away from the road for a second, relishing in the mixture of panic and pleasure on Ringo's face, then pulled his hand away and placed it back on the wheel.

"Sorry, I shouldn't tease you. But if we get started on that, I won't be able to stop, and I can't afford to be late." George's voice was low and sultry, and Ringo had to squeeze his eyes together to calm himself.

It wasn't long before they were back outside Ringo's house, and yet again George rushed over to the other side of the car to open the door for Ringo.

"Such a gentleman." Ringo joked as he climbed out onto the street.

"Only when you want me to be." George whispered in his ear as he leaned down to close the door.

Ringo shuddered at the words, and stood awkwardly in front of the taller man, looking up into his eyes and at his soft lips. He wanted to kiss him goodbye, but there was no way he was going to risk it in public, especially not right outside his house. George seemed to be thinking the same thing, he smiled sadly before walking back to his side of the car. 

"So I'll see you Thursday? Will probably be quite early, I'll call you to let you know." George said as he leant on the top of the car.

"Thursday it is." Ringo smiled as he walked up to his house. "Bring your dancing shoes!"

"Only if you promise to wear those rings. I can think of a few uses for them." George spoke quieter, but Ringo still worried that someone might overhear them and he felt panicked.

"Ha- Yeah I will do." He called back as he hurriedly unlocked his front door. When he turned around to close it behind him, George was still looking at him longingly. He held up his hand to say goodbye and George just nodded, finally getting into his car and driving away.

Every time he was away from George, he felt himself letting out a heavy sigh of relief. All the tension between them could finally be released, and he felt somewhat exhausted. He walked into the kitchen to put the kettle on and smiled when he saw the bouquet of roses sitting on the counter. Ringo felt extremely lucky that George had taken such a shine to him, because he was clearly the spoiling type. Ringo had never grown up with much, and he lived with even less now, he had never expected to be eating at fancy restaurants or being decked out in the finest suits. While it still felt pretty alien to him, and he supposed it always would, it was nice to experience it through the generosity of someone else.

He thought about George's words from the car journey home, about repaying him, and Ringo tried to think of something he could do. He didn't have a lot of money, certainly nothing compared to George's wealth, and he wasn't particularly crafty or inventive, so he struggled to think of anything. Then he remembered George's hand on his thigh, and he couldn't help but think that when they had spent the night together, it was only Ringo that had been _satisfied_. He felt a little disappointed in himself, almost rude, as much as he knew there was no chance he was ever going to reciprocate anything in that moment, that had to change.

All this was still so foreign and new to him, but he tried to think about whatever a girl would do to him in order to make him feel good. His mind battled with the idea of giving George a blowjob, he wasn't sure if he was prepared for something like that. Then it raced to raunchier things, like letting George fuck him, and Ringo couldn't deny that it made him hot just thinking about it. Wouldn't it hurt? He'd never met a girl who was ever up for doing anal, not that Ringo was ever that bent on doing it, and he wondered why. Maybe it was painful, dirty even. He just wished there was some way he could learn about it all, to just wake up one day and be an expert on all things gay, because he didn't want to continue being so awkward and hesitant around George.

If what George said about after the wedding was true, then Ringo certainly had to be prepared for that. And in that moment he got an idea, at first he dismissed it because it seemed to absurd, but it kept rushing back to him. He didn't want to risk ruining his first time with George because he was too scared, because he just wasn't ready. He had to at least try it, just _once_. Maybe he'd discover he didn't like it, and then maybe all these weird feelings would just go away entirely. He just had to know, had to feel what it was like to have something up _there_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one day, you'd think I had nothing better to do. I really didn't expect this fic to get so long, but I'm just enjoying writing these two little gays so much! Hope you're all enjoying it, please leave a comment and let me know what you think. Any suggestions would be great too cause I've got almost no plan for this plot.


	10. Experience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ringo takes some time to prepare himself for George's filthy promises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter this time, but it's just pure shameless smut with a little fluff at the end. Hope you guys are enjoying!

The sound of water streaming from the shower and hitting the hard porcelain of the tub echoed throughout the bathroom. Ringo stood in front of the mirror, staring at his reflection as if it was going to give him some sort of guidance. He took a deep breath and stepped into the bathtub, letting the water cascade down his body. He'd already showered a couple of hours ago, but he really wanted to make sure he did this properly, and wanted to be prepared in case things went really wrong. He had taken off his rings and laid them on the side, the last thing he wanted was them getting ruined if things took an embarrassing turn.

He braced himself against the tiles with one hand, letting out another heavy sigh. How bad could it really be? He'd fingered girls countless times, he liked to think he was quite good at it, but he'd never considered doing it to himself. Was it painful? Surely not, if so many people did it then it must feel good. He lowered his other hand tentatively down his back, stopping before it descended below his cheeks. He shut his eyes tightly, trying to calm himself, trying to think about anything else than his own hand. The images crystallised in his mind, the way George had circled around his hole gently when sucking him off, and he tried to recreate that motion now. He ghosted his fingers over his entrance and he sucked in a harsh breath. It was strange to feel something there, especially his own fingers.

Slowly he pushed his finger inside and he froze, only getting the tip in, as he felt the muscle giving way. This was it, he could either give up now or carry on, there was no turning back after going past this. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to distract himself from the reality that he was doing this to himself. Instead he pretended it was George, his slim fingers being pressed inside him. Ringo had always been drawn to George's hands, they were far slimmer than his own, and tried to picture the way they held a cigarette, how he flipped his knife between them, and how he gripped Ringo's cock. The thoughts made him shudder but gave him the confidence to carry on and he pushed the finger in further.

It felt very strange, far tighter than any other girl he'd been with, but it didn't feel _bad_. He paused to adjust to the sensation, lowering his head and letting the water run down his neck. He collected his breath gradually then began to move the finger back and forth, as he began picking up a rhythm he let out a strangled moan and the noise startled him. The shame nibbling away at the back of his mind told him to stop, to be quiet and to be ashamed that he was enjoying this. No, he thought, I'm not going to stop. He wasn't only doing this for himself, he was doing it for George. He wanted to make _him_ feel good, and he wasn't going to risk their first time being ruined because he was too afraid or unprepared. 

_It was his first time, wanted it to be special._

Special, that was what George had said. George had taken such great care of him, made sure he was comfortable and certain that he really wanted it. As much as he knew George would be just understanding when they took things further, Ringo didn't want to be so hesitant and nervous around him all the time. He had to do this. The image of George came to his mind again, and Ringo pictured him being in the shower with him, his naked body pressed up against his own as he fingered him slowly and lovingly. He pictured George's hand snaking around to his front to pump his hardening erection slowly. Ringo let out another moan as he began to move his finger again and breathed in before placing in a second finger alongside the first. It stung, just a little, it was so different to a girl who was already wet, but the water was helping. Two fingers felt a great deal fuller but the pain was subsiding now to make way for real pleasure, and it _did_ feel good. He wondered how many people George had done with his before, and it made him a little sad to think that Ringo wasn't the only one; he had to tell himself to stop being so silly, its not like they were together or anything. His brain was trying to distract him from the pleasure, the denial desperate to convince Ringo that this was wrong. But it just felt so _good_.

Ringo tried to focus on the image of George, squeezing his eyes shut to help him think, imagining the feeling of George's bare skin against his own, of the filthy things he wanted to hear spilling from his mouth. He loved his voice, how low and sultry it got whenever things turned physical. He moved his fingers with more vigour now, experimenting with the angle of his wrist and gently scissoring them inside himself. Moans were pouring from his mouth now as his muscles relaxed more and more, enough to allow a third finger inside himself. Ringo thought he must've looked pretty wrecked right now, one hand desperately holding onto the wall for support, the other mercilessly pumping inside himself, with his head thrown back in pure ecstasy. He began to feel embarrassed, exposed almost, but then he imagined how George would react to seeing him like this, to know that he was doing this to himself while thinking of George, praying that it was his hand instead. He adjusted to the three fingers quicker than he thought he'd be able to, and he felt his cheeks growing hot as he imagined how it would feel to have George's cock pressed inside him. 

"Fuck... George!" Ringo breathed out, giving in more and more to the pleasure.

His wrist was beginning to hurt now, but he didn't care. He altered the angle somewhat, pulling his fingers almost all the way out and then slamming them inside himself and his breath stopped entirely. He had no idea what had happened, but something about that last movement sent an eruption of pleasure through his body and his knees felt weak. He did it again, pulling out then pushing them roughly back in and he felt the wonderful sensation again; moans were filling the room now and he wondered how George would sound while fucking him. He carefully explored inside himself, finding a small nub of muscle of sorts on one of the walls and he rubbed it gently. Shit. He thought he had felt good before, but whatever this was took it to a whole other level. He wasn't sure how long he'd be able to support himself anymore, his knees were growing weaker with every thrust of his fingers, and this new feeling only make him even more unsteady. He slowed his breathing as best he could and straightened his posture somewhat, taking his hand off from pressing against the wall and began to rub his shaft which had grown painfully hard.

It wasn't long before he felt that tightness in his stomach. The position was awkward, with his legs spread far enough so that he could keep fucking himself with his fingers and hunched over so that he could rub himself. It was almost too much, but he managed to keep himself from becoming overwhelmed by keeping his mind focused on George. He wondered how thick George was, how long he was, whether he'd be able to take him at all. The image of George naked made Ringo's eyes roll and his climax was strongly building and building. If this felt good, he couldn't even imagine how brilliant George would be able to make him feel. The blowjob alone had been amazing, the best he'd ever gotten as much as he didn't want to admit it at the time, and he felt so blessed that he had George to guide him all through this. He thought about being laid out on his back, George expertly taking his cock into his mouth while fucking Ringo with his fingers. He stumbled where he stood, the pleasure growing as he quickened the pace of both his hands as his moans grew louder and louder. He didn't care if anybody heard him; let them hear. God, how he wished George was here. He needed to feel his fingers, his mouth, his cock. His movements became sloppy but he managed to aim for that particular spot a couple more times, each moment bringing him closer and closer to the edge. He leaned his head on the cold tiles, amplifying his heavy breathing even more, his own moans were turning him on; he sounded filthy, no girl had ever made him sound like this, or make him feel this good. 

All it took was a few more thrusts of his fingers, a few more pumps of his aching cock, and the thought of George gripping onto his hips and fucking him senselessly, to reach his climax. He moaned loudly, ramblings of curses and George's name over and over, as his legs almost gave way and he had to kneel down carefully. His eyes were shut the whole time, the image of George's beautiful body in his mind. After a few moments he returned to reality, and carefully removed his fingers and washed them thoroughly under the water. He felt utterly exhausted and sat down in the tub, letting the water fall through his hair and onto his flushed skin. One thing he didn't feel this time, was shame. Granted a part of him always felt a little dirty after masturbating, the sobering up was never a nice feeling when you realised you were on your own, but the nagging voice in the back of his head which had kept telling him that he was wrong for doing this, for thinking of George, was gone. A satisfied smile spread across his face, in a silly way he was proud of doing this.

After a few minutes of sitting down in the tub, he got up and turned the water off. Grabbing a towel to wrap around his body, he stared at himself once again in the mirror. He looked pretty debauched, his face still red from both the hot water and the exertion, but he looked happy and certainly _felt_ happy. He chuckled to himself quietly, as he shuffled down to the kitchen to get himself some water. The sight of the flowers on the counter made his chest tighten and he couldn't help staring at them while he drank from his glass. They were really beautiful, and it was such a thoughtful gesture from George. George never seemed to hesitate with Ringo, never seemed to stop to question whether he was being too forward or too confident, an Ringo really admired that about him. He wished he had half the assurance that George had, but he had a feeling that he was getting there slowly but surely. Before he walked back into the living room, planning on relaxing in front of the television for a few hours, he inhaled the bouquet deeply and let the fresh smell fill his lungs. He couldn't wipe the grin off his face, but he didn't want to. He didn't want to hide his feelings anymore, no longer trying to push George from his memory every time his mind wandered. He was happy and he _deserved_ to be happy.

It was time to stop pretending, he had to confront his feelings head on no matter how scary it seemed. He liked George a lot, he didn't want to venture into using the L-word even if it sometimes felt that way, and he had to tell him. He knew these next few days building up to the wedding were going to feel like a lifetime, but Ringo would manage to get through them. The excitement he felt in his stomach when he thought of that day, of being able to dance with George and even kiss him in public without the fear of being judged, was immense. Maybe this confidence high would wear off by tomorrow, but Ringo didn't think so, and even if it did he had a few more days to 'prepare himself'. In fact, he might do some 'practising' before he went to sleep that night, just to be absolutely _certain_ that he enjoyed it. He couldn't risk it being a fluke now, could he? That just wouldn't be fair on George. And if George was really planning on 'fucking his brains out' - as he had so poetically worded it - then Ringo needed to be _really_ prepared.

Prepared maybe bordering a little on excited. Okay yes, he was excited. Okay _yes_ , maybe he was even desperate, just a _tiny_ bit. Alright, fine, he was desperate. Very desperate. Painfully desperate. 


	11. Formal Attire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ringo gives George a call before the wedding. Then George shows up with the suit and they head off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've spent all day doing nothing but writing and listening to George's music so here's yet another chapter. Every comment and kudos is appreciated! This is officially the longest fic I've ever written (in my 7 long years) so hey let's celebrate that.

The next few days were an absolute drag, Ringo even called up work and asked if anybody needed their shift covered cause he just wanted time to speed up. He hadn't seen George since they went out to get his suit fitted, at least that was the last time he'd seen him in person; he'd seen George _a lot_ in his mind. Ringo started to really miss him, and the flowers beginning to wilt in his kitchen only made his sadness all the more intense. It was still two days until the wedding, but Ringo felt like he really couldn't wait any longer. He kept hoping that George would visit him at work but he never did, and Ringo wondered if he ever would again. Eventually he caved in and decided to give George a call. He finished work at 3 and plucked up the courage to call George after only 20 minutes of pacing and debating. The sound of the phone ringing made him nervous, and once again he considered hanging up, he had no idea what George's schedule was and he could be busy, he might not even be home. After a few moments of Ringo pacing as much as he could without pulling the phone out of the wall, a voice answered but it wasn't George's.

"Hello?" It was Paul, and Ringo instantly felt nervous.

"Oh- Hi, Paul. It's Ringo. Is George there?" Ringo fiddled with a loose strand of hair.

"Oh, hi Ringo. Yeah, he's just in the loo, don't expect he'll be too long. How are you, anyway?" Paul had such a soothing voice, and Ringo easily calmed himself listening to it.

"Yeah, yeah, not too bad. And yourself?" Ringo tried to sound casual.

"Yeah, alright... Did you need George for something?"

"Not particularly. Just haven't seem him in a few days, wanted to check up on him." The nerves were coming back now.

"Aw, that's well sweet of you." He paused "He won't want me telling you this but he's been going on about you non-stop. He's been so excited about this wedding, keeps gushing about you in a suit." Paul chuckled lightly and it made Ringo blush.

"Oh really? I hope I'm worth the wait then." Ringo smiled "Will you and John be there?"

"We sure will be. You practically get disowned if you miss events like these. They're alright, John has a tendency to get a bit drunk and start a row. But- Oh, here's George now I'll pass you on." Paul didn't have a chance to say goodbye because George rather quickly snatched the phone, Ringo could hear Paul and John laughing in the background.

"Hey Ringo, they weren't chatting any shite were they?" George sounded a little flustered, it was a side to him Ringo hadn't really seen.

"No, not at all. I just wanted to see how you were, but if you're busy that's fine I can call back la-" Ringo began.

"No, I'm not busy!" George said hastily, then paused and Ringo imagined he was cursing himself "Are you alright?"

"Good, yeah. Just, er- Haven't heard from you in a few days, you know?" Ringo chuckled nervously.

"Missing me already, are you?" George lowered his voice.

"Suppose I might be... What have you been up to?" Ringo wished he'd thought of something to say before he rang.

"Not much, just business stuff really. That same family's been kicking up some trouble again, but we seem to have it under control." George explained, he'd returned to his normal self now.

"Oh dear, you haven't been hurt or anything have you?" Ringo winced when he thought about the state George had gotten into last time.

"No, no. Don't you worry your pretty little head about it." George chuckled.

"Pretty?" Ringo scoffed.

"Well, I'd like to call you something else but I've got company you see." George's voice grew huskier.

"You're not half a bleeding flirt, George." Ringo tried to sound like he didn't like it, but that wasn't the case.

"Oh right, and what's the other half?"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

"Do tell."

"You'll have to wait to hear that one."

"Aren't you a little tease?"

"I'm not a little anything."

"You don't have to tell me twice."

Ringo let out a spluttered laugh at the comment, as much as he'd love to talk dirty to George over the phone right now he couldn't contain his laughter "Look, I shouldn't keep you from your mates."

"Who says they're my mates?"

"You do, you pillock. I should get going, I'm pretty knackered from work. What time are you gonna pick me up Thursday?" Ringo really wanted to stay, but he didn't really want to let anything on to Paul and John - even if George hadn't been too good at hiding it.

"Probably around 9, I'll bring the suit and all that and we can get to the wedding about 10?" George had a twinge of hopefulness in his voice, and it made Ringo smile.

"Now when you say 9, do you mean 9? Or do you mean showing up an hour earlier so you can catch me being a sweaty mess?" Ringo chuckled.

"Well, I do mean 9, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to see you a sweaty mess again." Ringo could hear the grin on his face.

"I'm sure that be arranged." He didn't give George a time to respond, as much as Ringo knew he wanted to "I'll see you Thursday, then. Bye, George."

"Goodbye Ringo. Don't forget to wear those rings." George joked, but there was a darkness behind his words.

Ringo just smiled, said his goodbyes again and hung up the phone. His mood was immediately lifted after speaking to George, it was like it transported him to a whole other world. As much as he'd rather see him, he didn't dare bother him again, especially if he had important stuff to deal with.

Paul's words kept echoing in his mind the next couple of days, and every time he thought about George talking about him it made him smile. Ringo wondered why he didn't tell these things explicitly to him, like the things he'd heard when he was outside his front door, and he expected it was the same reason Ringo hadn't been completely honest either - they just liked each other so much they were scared of ruining it. It was stupid really, but a strange sort of tradition when getting to know someone.

Ringo debated in his mind whether he should tell George how he really felt, he had no fear of rejection since he knew George's true feelings, but still something told him to take things slow. Ringo was fairly happy with the stage they were at now, it was comfortable, and if feelings became explicitly involved it might take it to somewhere a bit stranger. He hadn't thought about anything that serious with George, but maybe now it was time to start; he was going to be his _date_ after all. George was going to show him off to the rest of his 'family' without any shame, it seemed like a pretty big step for Ringo but he wondered whether George just did this all the time, like it wasn't that big of a deal. It wasn't a pleasant thought, so Ringo tried to avoid it. For now he was just going to see how things went, there was no use planning for a future that might not happen after all.

All Ringo was sure of was that this whole wedding ordeal was going to be a large step for him, especially for his relationship with George, and he just had to go with the flow and see where it took him. In all honesty he knew where it was taking him: straight into George's bed, and Ringo had no issue with that _at all_.

* * *

Thursday finally came around, and Ringo had luckily remembered to book the time off work. He made sure to wake up nice and early, which was a struggle, so that he could hop in the shower and freshen up before George showed up. This time, he arrived on time, and Ringo couldn't help the excitement bubbling in his stomach when he heard him knocking on the door. He'd gotten dressed even though he knew it was pointless, a part of him just wanted to look presentable. He swung the door open probably a little too excitedly, and George was standing there with his arms full.

"I believe you ordered a suit, sir?" George chuckled, plonking a shoe box into Ringo's hands as smoothly as he could.

"I believe I did." Ringo smiled as he led George into the living room once more.

"In the end I decided to just get you the one, so if you can try to tone down your handsomeness I'd much appreciate it." George lay the suit on the back of one of the chairs.

"I suppose I'll have to try." Ringo joked, standing in the doorway when George gave him a funny look.

"Well go on then, what are you waiting for? Try it on!" George scoffed as he unzipped the suit cover.

Ringo shifted his weight "Oh... Right now?"

"If you wanna make it to this wedding then yes, right now." George tutted sarcastically "If you want to close my eyes or something I will, but I was kinda looking forward to this bit."

Ringo blushed, then sheepishly walked further into the room and put the shoebox down on the floor. He walked over to the suit and took it out of its cover, holding it up in the hanger so that he could see it in the mirror. It was a _very_ nice suit, nicer than anything Ringo ever thought he'd ever own. There was a tie and a handkerchief too, but they were of clashing patterns, not that Ringo was a fashion expert of any kind but it did seem an odd choice. He looked up at George and... _Oh_. He realised that the handkerchief of his suit was identical to the pattern of George's tie, with his tie matching George's handkerchief. Ringo blushed.

"Sorry if its a bit cheesy, I thought it'd be nice... Funny y'know." George turned away to look in the mirror, Ringo could've sworn he saw hints of red on his cheeks.

"No its nice, was just a bit confused at first." Ringo smiled reassuringly then began to undress.

He felt George's eyes on him as he lifted his jumper above his head, he felt the sudden urge to cover himself up or to ask George to leave the room, but he powered through the embarrassment and continued to take off his clothes. Standing in his boxers and his socks, he took the suit off the hanger piece by piece and worked his way into it. Even the shirt was nice, Ringo guessed it probably cost more than his entire wardrobe put together. He lay the tie undone across his neck, he was a little embarrassed that he wouldn't be able to make it look presentable enough, so decided to leave it until last. The whole time he felt George watching him, and while his gaze was somewhat predatory it didn't make him feel uncomfortable, at least not in the negative sense, and whenever he looked up at George he would give him a small smile. He squeezed into the shoes, the first real leather shoes he'd owned, and wiggled his toes in them as he walked around the room to break them in somewhat.

"Does everything fit?" George cleared his throat before speaking.

"Feels like it. I hardly recognise myself." Ringo chuckled as he stepped up to the mirror.

"You look good." George breathed, taking a step closer to him "Who knew I had such good taste?"

"In suits or in men?" Ringo winked, fiddling with his tie hesitantly.

"Looks like both." George smiled darkly "You need help with that tie?"

"Uh... Yeah, I do. Bit embarrassing but even in school I could never do it properly, was always getting yelled at for it." Ringo continued fiddling with the fabric awkwardly.

"Come 'ere." George laughed, his quick fingers getting to work as he tied Ringo's tie for him.

Ringo gulped rather obviously as he looked down at George's hands, he couldn't help remembering how he had been thinking about them last. George pulled his focused gaze away for a second to glance at Ringo, and Ringo suspected that George knew exactly what he was thinking. George just chuckled, then turned Ringo to face the mirror with him.

"There, we make quite the pair. Don't you think?" George grinned widely, his arm across Ringo's shoulder.

"Huh, we sure do. Could give Paul and John a run for their money." Ringo chuckled but then panicked when he thought he might be insinuating something.

"Urgh, _don't_ mention them. You know how hard it is to find a fella when you've got those two as the shining example? You shouldn't even worry about meeting my parents, them two are the real test." George let go of Ringo then, who only blushed at the thought of meeting George's parents.

"How long have they been together?" Ringo started fixing his hair that had been ruffled out of place.

"It's hard to say. As long as I've known them they've practically been inseparable. Technically I think it's 3 years this year, but I could be wrong." George stood behind Ringo then, and ran his hand quickly through his hair to mess it up.

"Funny." Ringo rolled his eyes "Was it easier around them, then? I mean, being... You know."

"Being a flaming queer?" George laughed "Yeah, I suppose it was. I mean we all messed around quite a bit when we were younger and it just stuck."

"Messed around like, with each other?" Ringo was almost looking presentable.

" _Scandalous_ , I know. It was just boys being silly, or at least that's what we pretended it was. Then suddenly it stopped, and Paul and John were dating so I had to find my fun elsewhere."

"Have you been with a lot of guys then? If you don't mind me asking." Ringo tried to not sound as curious as he felt.

"Depends what you mean by 'been with'. I've been around the block a few times, but never anything serious. Never taken one to a wedding, let's just put it that way." George smiled somewhat sheepishly.

"Well aren't I lucky?" Ringo felt comforted by George's answer, even though he knew he shouldn't care about his past.

"With a face like that, I'd say so." George stepped closer to him again and lifted up Ringo's chin gently to stare into his eyes.

"You're one to talk." Ringo whispered. 

"You better shut me up, then." George rubbed the stubble on Ringo's chin gently.

Ringo smirked and leaned in to the other man, one hand going for his hip under his jacket and the other caressing his neck. George hummed happily against his lips, Ringo smiling into the kiss. He wondered if he'd ever get tired of kissing George, or if it would ever stop lighting a fire in his stomach, because it certainly didn't seem to be happening any time soon. George put his hand on the small of Ringo's back and dipped him backwards slightly, pushing his chest up against him. Ringo moved his hand to George's face and he felt him jerk slightly at the feeling of the cold metal of Ringo's rings on his skin which made Ringo chuckle. He had gotten used to that reaction, but seeing George respond like that instantly made him smile. George deepened the kiss, grabbing the fabric of Ringo's jacket and taking a fistful of his hair at the back of his head. Ringo moaned lowly as George pushed his tongue into his mouth, feeling his sharp teeth teasingly nibble at his lip.

Ringo was the one to break the kiss when he felt himself getting a little flustered, he didn't want to end up being late because they had pushed the late night entertainment forward, that certainly wasn't a good way to make a first impression.

"Shouldn't we be heading off?" Ringo panted, his face still only inches away from George's.

"I suppose we have to." George smirked "But I expect to pick up where we left off once we get back to mine."

"If you insist." Ringo smiled awkwardly, and it made George smile too.

George stepped back then, adjusting himself for a final time in the mirror before heading out of the room. Ringo remained in front of the mirror, the nervousness of this important social event was beginning to sink in, and he worried that he wasn't going to fit in there. He remembered how the tailor had regarded him, how he could sense that Ringo wasn't one of _them_ , and then imagined it on a larger scale with every one of George's friends turning their noses up at him. He had been so concerned with handling George that he hadn't even considered the magnitude of the situation. He looked pretty sharp, or so he thought, but was it good enough? He let out a sigh and saw George waiting for him in the doorway.

"Ringo, stop being ridiculous. You look gorgeous, now let's get driving or I'll get a belting from Paul for being late." George's words were serious but his smile was warm and it helped Ringo relax.

As Ringo walked past George into the hallway, George seized his hand swiftly and raised it up to lips, pressing a soft but long kiss on the back of palm, his gaze unbreakable from Ringo's before heading to the front door. Ringo blushed and followed behind the other man quickly, once again having the door opened for him and stepping out into the cold morning. George's car was waiting across the street, and the two of them walked towards it briskly. Before Ringo opened the car door, George tapped on the roof of the vehicle to grab his attention.

"You've got no need to be nervous. I won't know half the people there, and the other half I don't like." George chuckled "Just see it as an opportunity for free food and a lot of free drinks."

"How much is a lot?" Ringo forced a smile, but he couldn't fully hide his nerves.

"Well last time I went to one of these things, I woke up in the next town over with all my money gone and a headache that lasted a week." George smiled a toothy grin.

"Sorry I thought you were supposed to be convincing me to go?" Ringo raised his eyebrow.

"Ha ha." George said sarcastically "Look, we only really have to show our faces for a little bit. We can leave as soon as you've had enough of it all. But I don't think you're gonna wanna miss seeing John picking another fight with a lamppost."

Ringo sniggered "Well, I can't miss that now can I?"

George just smiled then climbed into the car, Ringo following suit. Before they set off, George placed his hand on top of Ringo's and squeezed it tightly. Ringo let out a breath he wasn't even realising he was holding, then turned his hand around so that he could interlock his fingers with George's. It only made his heart race faster as he felt George's skin against his own in such an innocent and affectionate way. It was reassuring to know that he didn't have to hide this, at least not right now, or for the rest of the day. Even if it was living in a fantasy world somewhat, he would enjoy it for now at least. George squeezed his hand once more, running his thumb slowly across the back of Ringo's hand before pulling his hand away and starting the car.

Ringo had a feeling that this was going to be one of the best day's of his life, and it was only the beginning of a whole series of things. The beginning of his life with George. He could get used to saying that. 


	12. A Cold Reception

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> George and Ringo head to the wedding and meet the charming Stephanie.

The drive to the wedding was fairly scenic, it was about a half an hour drive out of the city to a large house - mansion was more like it - in the country. The streets were lined with cars and masses of people were walking up the long drive. Ringo began to feel a little intimidated as George parked the car and he let out a heavy sigh, but made sure to smile when he looked over at George. 

They had spoken for the majority of the journey about nothing in particular. George had turned the radio on quietly and began singing along to one of the songs, which made Ringo smile as he thought he had quite a nice voice; it was unique, with a slight roughness and his accent coming through. They'd spoken about a little bit of everything: how Ringo was getting on at work, how his drumming was going, what George had been getting up to. Ringo had a few things he wanted to talk about further, but figured there would be a better time to bring them up; he wanted to tell George that he felt ready for the next step, but he didn't want to risk making anything awkward. Their hands had brushed occasionally throughout the drive but George never kept his hands off the wheel for very long, Ringo thought it was more to make a good impression rather than for their safety. Down the country roads where they had to slow down, George would draw circles in Ringo's palm or fiddle with his rings and every time Ringo enjoyed it more. It was nice when they sat in silence, just the quiet sound of the radio filling the car, it was very comfortable and Ringo felt entirely at peace.

George completed his ritual of rushing out of the car to open the door for Ringo, he didn't think he'd be getting tired of it any time soon, but this time instead of simply letting Ringo step out onto the street George held his hand out for him to hold. Ringo froze for a moment in his uncomfortable position, half out of the car and half in, and looked up to the George's kind and expectant eyes. Ringo took his hand shyly and was helped out of the car, he felt awkwardly like some princess in a fairy tale which made him chuckle. As he stepped onto the street and George shut the door behind him, George moved his hand so that it could interlock with Ringo's as they walked. The closer they got to the house, and the several groups of people piling inside, Ringo gripped George's hand tighter as he worried that all eyes were on him and seemingly George picked up on his panic.

"Relax, Ringo. You're safe here, just trust me." He whispered, giving his hand a tight squeeze back "And if anyone happens to give you any trouble, you can be sure I'll take care of it."

"Okay... I'm sorry." Ringo breathed, his legs resisting as they got up to the large gate that had been swung open to let the guests in.

"Don't apologise, I get it." George planted a soft kiss on the top of his head which put Ringo at ease somewhat.

As they approached the house Ringo could hear a band playing somewhere in the distance. The house had an expansive garden stretching all the way around it, with a very large patio area which was filled with countless tables. Everyone was beautifully dressed, both the men and women, but they also seemed so relaxed too rather than the uptight group of people Ringo had been expecting. There were families, with small children running around screaming playfully and elderly people sat in the shade. Several people waved and greeted George but it wasn't in the same way as the array of people in the restaurant, it was far more friendly and less formal. Ringo noticed a few people whispering as they looked over at himself and George, and he couldn't tell whether it was malicious or not; surely if George had arrived with a girl they'd be whispering too, right? They made their way into the main area of the wedding and Ringo was very thankful that it was such a nice day, if a little chilly, with the sun lighting up the garden beautifully. George tried to scout out a table for them when at one of the further corners Paul had stood up and was waving them over. Ringo fought the oncoming nervousness, he still felt a little strange being around John and Paul because they knew so much about what was going on between himself and George. Especially now knowing they were a couple, it was a little intimidating. John was nibbling away at the bread that was left in the middle of the table, not paying much attention to when they approached. He was wearing his glasses, which Ringo thought looked rather sweet on him.

"I thought you were gonna be late! Didn't get held up, did you?" Paul chuckled, punctuating his sentence with an exaggerated wink "You look great Ringo, didn't realise you'd clean up so nice."

Ringo smiled "You look nice too Paul, not to forget John o'course." When he mentioned his name, John looked up with a mouth filled with bread and stood up rather sloppily, nodding his head in thanks.

"Hopeless this one." Paul smiled, poking John's nose gently "He's got the wild idea that if he fills up on bread he can drink even more than usual."

"It's definitely gonna work." John spoke in between mouthfuls.

"Well don't come complaining to me when your stomach hurts." Paul sat back down then, and the other three followed his example.

"Have you congratulated Stephanie yet?" George asked, tucking his chair under the table.

"Yeah, ages ago. Not sure where she is now, though. If you haven't you better hurry up before someone comes looking for you." Paul looked around then "She might be inside."

"Urgh, fine. She doesn't even like me anyway." George shuffled in his seat.

"No, she likes you _too_ much, that's the problem." John had finally finished eating, washing down the copious amounts of bread with what looked like champagne. 

Ringo looked at George then, more accusingly than he wanted to, but he couldn't stop the pang of jealousy in his mind.

"Its her husband that doesn't like you George, remember what happened last time?" John finished his glass and raised his eyebrow, only making Ringo feel worse.

"Shut your mouth, John. _Jesus_." George sighed then turned to Ringo "Don't listen to him."

"What happened last time?" Ringo's voice was quiet, having to clear his throat before he tried to speak again, and Paul gave him a sympathetic look.

"Stephanie used to be a little obsessed with me." George began, and John scoffed at the word 'little' "It was years ago, and when she realised I wasn't interested she stopped bothering with me. Then she started getting involved with her fella, and he just always had a problem with me as if I was gonna steal her away or something. Last time I saw him a couple months back, he got all riled up and tried to pick a fight with me. It was at his stag do and all, they dragged us to this strip club and it was just a shit night. I tried to go home early and he just kicked off, saying I hated him cause he got Stephanie and I didn't. It's all _very_ stupid, but I doubt anything will happen tonight. Don't worry." George explained, looking Ringo deep in the eyes while he spoke.

Ringo broke the eye contact, laughing quietly as he looked at the ground "I'm not worried, just a head's up would've been nice. I mean, I can't blame her can I?"

"Oh yeah, why's that?" George smirked, leaning back in his chair.

"You know _why_ , George." Ringo nudged him playfully.

"Aren't you two adorable?" John said sarcastically, but was smiling warmly.

"Let's hope Stephanie doesn't think so, she might bite your head off Ringo." Paul smiled "You better go and find her before you give her an excuse to kick off."

"Fineeeeee." George huffed, standing up reluctantly and waiting for Ringo before they headed off towards the house.

The patio doors were open, allowing Ringo to see just how far back the house went and it astounded him. He'd never seen a place like this, at least not in real life, and he just worried with every step that he was going to break something. There were a few people dotted around the place, chatting quietly and drinking. Ringo realised as they walked through several rooms that many of them served no purpose, many rooms just filled with expensive looking furniture or decorations that seemed nothing more than a sitting room. What was the point of having all this money if you didn't do anything proper with it? Ringo snooped around very curiously but tried his best to look like he belonged there, holding hands with George as he walked. As they turned into one room, George was called over by an older man who was stood by a grand painting, the likes of which you'd see in an art gallery.

"George! How are you doing?" The man beamed, opening his arms to embrace George in a manly hug. "And who's this?"

"This is Ringo." George stepped aside so Ringo could move closer to the two of them, he instinctively held out his hand to shake the older man's which made him laugh heartily.

"A handshake? Well, looks like you could teach our George a thing or two about manners." He laughed, slapping George on the back in a friendly way "What's your last name?"

"Starr." Ringo said, trying to sound confident.

"Ringo Starr, eh? You some kind of rock star, boy?" The man laughed again, Ringo figured he probably did that a lot.

"Trying to be." Ringo shrugged his shoulders.

"Ha ha! I like you, lad. You need to stick to this one George." 

"I plan to." George put his arm around Ringo then, pulling him closer to his side. "Have you seen Stephanie around?"

"Last I saw she was upstairs, powdering her nose so to speak." The man nudged George.

"Jesus, this early?" George looked towards the staircase in the next room over.

"You know what she's like. The more for her the less for Tony at least, don't want a repeat of your little scuffle do we?" The man patted George on the back and shook Ringo's hand again "Well I best be off, need to get at least some mingling in before everyone starts stumbling about. All the best, lads."

"See ya." George sounded distant now, still looking at the stairs and only looked back at Ringo when he squeezed his hand, leading him to force a smile. "Here goes nothing, I suppose."

"If I'm not allowed to worry, then neither are you." Ringo smiled as they started to make their way up the stairs.

The upstairs was just as grand as the downstairs, and there was another set of stairs leading up to the third floor. They came up onto a large hall which had several doors dotted along the wall, one of which was ajar. George made his way over, gripping Ringo tightly more for his own sake than the older man's, and knocked on the door lightly. A woman's voice called out in response.

"Stephanie? Can I come in?" George asked, his voice was flat.

"Yeah, sure." She had a thick accent and sounded rather aggressive, Ringo thought at least.

George opened the door gradually to reveal a grand bedroom, with a four-poster bed and an opulent vanity table opposite, where a woman - Stephanie - was sat in an almost garish dress. She was pretty but wore far too much make-up, with heavy eye-shadow and bright blush, and looked like she might have been crying. Ringo noticed she had white powder dusted across her nostrils, then saw the lines of what he could only assume to be cocaine lying on the flat surface of the vanity. He cringed when she looked his way with angry eyes, and felt the burning desire to leave the room immediately. George stepped a little way into the room, still holding onto Ringo, and seemed to return to the demeanour Ringo had seen when he'd first met George; he was intense again, extremely serious and a little threatening. 

"Just wanted to say congrats. I hope you and Tony are very happy together, and I'm sure you will be." George spoke with no expression, his monotone voice returning.

"Well, that's very nice of you Georgie." She smiled, revealing lipstick on her teeth, and George scowled at the nickname "Who's this lovely lad you've got with you then?"

"The name's Ringo, it's a pleasure to meet you." Ringo spoke before George could, which startled him somewhat "You look lovely... Congratulations on the big day." He forced the most pleasant smile he could manage, and he could see the wheels turning in Stephanie's head as she wasn't sure how to regard him.

"You his new bumboy then?" She cackled and George clenched his other fist tightly.

"Don't try it Steph, there's no need for that shit. I'm trying to be pleasant here, the least you could do is try too." George spat and it worried Ringo to see him so angry.

"Oh come off it, George. Do you think I don't see what this is? All of a sudden on the day of my wedding you turn up with a last-minute date? It's not going to work, I'm _not_ jealous." She had turned into the mirror to wipe the powder off her nose now, but still glared at George in the reflection.

George laughed loudly at her words "You're so fucking full of yourself, it's embarrassing. I don't have to explain myself to you. Do you even see yourself? Where's your beloved husband, eh? Sitting up here on your own, crying and snorting anything you can get your hands on. Just because you'll never have what me and Ringo have doesn't mean you have to try and tear us down, it _won't_ work. I'm happy, can you say the same?" He paused, he was getting louder and louder but managed to stop himself "Just don't bother us today, alright? Have a great day and all that shit but stay the _fuck_ away from me."

They were leaving the room then, George hastily throwing the door open and slamming it behind them as he dragged Ringo down the stairs and back out into the fresh air. Ringo tried to protest, to get George to stop and calm down, but it was hopeless. Once they finally got outside, George pulled out a cigarette and lit it hastily, his hands shaking. 

"George..." Ringo tried to speak as softly as possible "It's alright, you don't have to get so het up."

George took a long drag "No, it's _not_ alright Ringo. I'm just sorry to put you through all that. She's a crazy bitch, that's all she is. I just wanted to have a good time with you today, to make it real special, but she just had to go and ruin it. And what she said wasn't true I-"

Ringo interrupted him with a swift kiss, pulling George downwards to lock their lips together, the taste of smoke fresh on his breath. He pulled away with a smile, placing both of his hands on the side of George's face and looking into his eyes closely "Don't start explaining yourself to me, George. Just don't let her ruin today, alright? Save all that aggression for later." Ringo winked then which made George laugh.

"Later, you say?" He took another drag of his cigarette. 

"Only if you calm down and start enjoying yourself." 

"Is that an order?"

"Thought I'd leave the ordering up to you."

"I think I can manage that." 

Ringo gave him another short kiss before pulling away entirely, taking a cigarette from George's packet and lighting it "Now, now, behave."

George opened his mouth to quip back but Ringo looked at him with a raised eyebrow, egging him on, and he just smiled instead. They finished their cigarettes quickly, it seemed to have helped George calm down significantly but Ringo liked to think it was mostly him, then made their way back over to their table where John and Paul were still sat. 

"How'd it go?" Paul asked quickly, clearly concerned.

"Swimmingly." Ringo chuckled as he sat down again, taking a look at John who had four empty glasses of champagne in front of him.

"She's just mental, honestly. She's convinced that I brought Ringo to make her jealous, can you believe it?" George scoffed, undoing his suit jacket to get more comfortable.

"Is that not the case?" John asked, earning him a light slap from Paul.

"I want to feel bad for her, but she just makes it so difficult. Was she sober at least?" Paul said.

"What do you think? Probably spent more on coke than she did on the bleeding wedding." George chuckled, signalling a waiter over to get a glass of champagne for himself and Ringo.

"Maybe we should confiscate it, for her sake." John helped himself to another glass too.

"That's the _last_ thing you need, love. At least wait until the bloody sun's gone down, eh?" Paul refused another glass, still drinking his first.

"Urgh, the things I do for you." John sighed dramatically, rolling his head backwards then bringing it close to Paul's who gave him a sweet kiss.

"You should take it as a compliment Ringo. She wouldn't get so nasty if she didn't see you as a threat." Paul's voice certainly had a way of making Ringo relax.

"Suppose so. Just feel bad for her husband." 

"You won't once you've met him, trust me. He's a right foul git." George placed his hand on Ringo's knee, patting it gently.

"Seems trouble just follows you around, George." Ringo placed his hand on top of the younger man's.

"Well you're here, aren't you?" George grinned.

"And I'm trouble, am I?" Ringo returned the smile.

"Oh, get a room!" John burst out before George could respond, sending the four of them into laughter.

"That's the plan." Ringo smirked, taking a tip of his champagne, feeling far more comfortable than he had originally.

Maybe today wasn't going to be as straightforward as he'd first hoped, but even during that tense moment Ringo had just felt all the more attached to George. He'd said he was happy, that what himself and George had was something special, and while he'd rather that he'd heard it in a much pleasanter context, it still made him happy to hear. Not even for a moment had he believed Stephanie's words, which surprised him, and he felt comforted to know that the paranoia and negativity which seemed to be taking root in the back of his mind was no longer there, at least nowhere near as strong as it had been. With George's hand on his knee, a glass of ridiculously expensive champagne in his hand, pleasant music in his ears and the sun beating down on him, he felt at peace. He knew it was just one of the many hurdles that he and George would have to face, but he had a feeling it would only making his feelings stronger for the man. He wondered how he'd ever been able to deny how he felt about George, for at this moment it was almost overwhelming. He felt a stupid grin growing on his face as he looked over at George, who looked as gorgeous as always as he gradually sipped his drink, but he didn't care. That was his man, his George. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to write Pattie and Eric as Stephanie as Tony but I don't really know enough about them to write them properly, plus I didn't wanna vilify Pattie cause she's done nothing wrong.


	13. Dancing Shoes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wedding continues and the boys finally get to dance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is just the romantic in me jumping out I miss my boyfriend so I have to live vicariously through these two.

The four of them sat drinking and laughing for a while, Ringo very much enjoying the relaxed atmosphere around them. Every so often somebody would walk past the table and say hello to them, never forgetting to make Ringo feel welcome. Whenever they asked for his name, they almost always had the same reaction of thinking he was some musician, which made Ringo feel a little bit like a celebrity. A few girls had seemed interested in him, asking whether he would dance with them later or join them for a drink but he'd made it very clear that he was committed to George. At one point George had egged Ringo on, perhaps to let him know that he wouldn't really mind if he danced with a girl, but Ringo didn't even want to entertain the idea - George had his full attention. Some of the girls were gorgeous, and two months ago Ringo would've jumped at the chance just to speak to them, but no part of him felt interested. 

After a couple more drinks, several for John, the ceremony began and Ringo desperately wished they'd taken a table further away from the arch. This was the first time he saw Tony, who looked normal enough, but he had a strange air about him. They looked happy together, Ringo thought, but he couldn't tell sometimes whether Stephanie was smiling or grinding her jaw. Something told Ringo that they weren't going to have the most flattering wedding photos. Despite how unwelcoming Stephanie had been, he still felt warm at the sight of the two of them exchanging their vows and rings. The whole crowd cheered when the bride and groom kissed, some whistles and shouts breaking above the noise. Stephanie showed off the ring to the group of girls who began crowding towards the front, it had a ridiculously large gem on it which Ringo wasn't the biggest fan of, but each to their own he supposed. Then came for the moment when the bride turned her back to the crowd, clutching a grand bouquet of flowers in preparation to throw it behind her; the girls were getting a little aggressive over it, many of them trying to elbow their way to their front and squealing as though they truly believed this ritual meant anything. The flowers flew backward, rather sloppily on account of Stephanie's intoxication, and what happened next Ringo hadn't prepared for.

The flowers landed in his lap and the whole world seemed to freeze for a moment. There they were, sitting almost perfectly on his knees like this was some kind of sick joke, and Ringo's face turned almost as red as the roses before him. His eyes widened and mouth dropped open as he looked over at George who had a massive grin on his face. The crowd was silent, Stephanie glaring at him - if looks could kill, Ringo thought he would've dropped dead at that moment - but a raucous shout burst out not too far away from him.

"Fuck yeah, Ringo!" It was John, standing up abruptly and pushing the table slightly as he did, clapping his hands together and cheering.

Almost immediately everyone else replicated this, cheering and clapping for Ringo who was only blushing harder. He turned his eyes to George once more who pulled him close for a tender kiss, only spurring on the celebration further and intensifying Stephanie's anger. Ringo felt George's hand running through his hair, the other cupping his cheek delicately as their lips met and Ringo's head was swimming; it felt like a dream. After what felt like an eternity, the band struck up a romantic song so that the couple could enjoy their first dance together. Ringo pulled away later than he felt he should've, but it was hard to deny himself the pleasure of kissing George. The crowd's attention was fully on the newly-weds now which was a relief to Ringo who's face was beginning to return to its natural shade. Paul had a very pleased look on his face as the two pulled away from each other which made Ringo smile.

Ringo struggled to avoid thinking about the connotations of the whole thing, trying to focus on the fact they were _just_ flowers, but his mind began running away with ideas of commitment. Granted he hadn't really known George that long, but it really didn't feel that way, and there wasn't anybody Ringo had ever felt so strongly about before, especially not this quickly. He didn't know what to do with the thoughts, it was probably best to leave them right now in case he ruined the lovely moment, but he had a feeling they were going to keep returning to him throughout the day. After a few minutes the song ended and the crowd cheered once more, the couple sharing a sweet kiss before other couples began to step out into the open space to begin dancing. The band picked up the speed with their music slightly, but some couples were still slow-dancing.

George stood up then and held his hand out for Ringo "Care to join me?" He said with a smirk.

Ringo took his hand excitedly and was led towards the array of couples, John and Paul slowly followed behind him as Paul struggled to get John on his feet. They moved through the crowd towards the back, closer to the large expanse of the garden, then halted. George let go of Ringo's hand then and moved it down to his waist, the other taking Ringo's second hand confidently while Ringo stood there looking confused. He'd never really danced like this before, the girl's he met in clubs were more interested in having fun than actually being romantic. He looked up at George slightly lost who just chuckled at him.

"Put your hand on my shoulder, you melon." George smiled down at him and Ringo did as he said.

The feeling of George's hand pressed against his hip, slipping underneath his jacket and caressing the clothed skin, shamelessly excited Ringo. Slowly they began to move their feet, Ringo trying his best to follow George. It didn't take long for Ringo to get the hang of it and before long they were moving across the space with at least some grace. Ringo wasn't sure he really saw the point of it though, and if anybody but George had offered it to him he certainly would've refused it, but being able to focus solely on the other man, looking into his dark eyes as he moved along with his body certainly had its benefits. George gently drew circles on Ringo's hip as they danced, a few times he began to move his hand lower but corrected himself almost immediately, but Ringo wasn't sure it needed correcting. After three or four songs, the band took a quick break, which gave Ringo a chance to catch his breath somewhat. When the music finished, George captured Ringo in a kiss, moving his hand to Ringo's back and pushing them close together; nobody was really looking at them, they'd purposefully kept as far away from people as was socially acceptable, but Ringo couldn't help feeling somewhat exposed. George's tongue pressed into Ringo's mouth with a happy hum, his other hand going to Ringo's neck to kiss his deeply. Ringo could stay like this forever, or at least he'd like to but when George began to plant kisses on his neck Ringo had to stop him otherwise there'd be no turning back.

"All in good time." Ringo chuckled, rubbing his thumb on George's cheek which was reddening. 

"Don't wanna wait." George mumbled, planting a kiss on Ringo's jaw. 

"I know... Neither do I." Ringo breathed, lifting up George's face lightly and kissing him softly but pulling away before he could deepen it "But it'll be worth the wait." 

George smiled at him weakly, Ringo could see the lust in his eyes but he was clearly trying to fight it. His gaze on Ringo was heavy, and it made him feel like he was going to melt, but luckily the band began to play again and saved Ringo from what felt like damnation. It was faster music now, more of the rock and roll that Ringo loved so much and a smile grew on his face as he recognised the song. This was something he was used to, and he was instantly more relaxed now than he had been trying to ballroom dance with George. The two of them loosened up, shaking their heads and twisting their bodies as they laughed and smiled with one another. Eventually they found Paul and John dancing, John occasionally giving Paul a messy spin or attempted dip and while Paul protested, it was the happiest Ringo had ever seen him. 

A few of the couples and elderly people had sat back down now as the younger party guests took over the dance floor. They danced for hours, jackets were gradually discarded and tossed to the side as the sun's heat continued to beat down upon the avid dancers. The smell from the garden was sweet, and as Ringo danced away with George and his friends he struggled to think of anything that would've made the situation better.

During one of the songs, George pulled Ringo close to him and danced with him this way, either their chests or backs pressing together. At first it was rather silly, both of them laughing away as they continued to finish off glasses of champagne whenever they could get a hold of one, but it gradually grew more animalistic. George began breathing heavily in Ringo's ear, running his hands over his body and Ringo would extend out his neck so that George could kiss him there. They began sweating, George undid a few of his shirt buttons and Ringo gazed lustily at the sharpness of the taller man's collarbones. Ringo wasn't sure how long they danced like this for, but luckily they were hidden away enough by groups and couples dancing that they could get away with it. They kissed desperately between songs, hands pawing all over the other's body, and Ringo felt his head swimming. 

Eventually the music came to a halt and someone announced that it was time to eat, so the dance floor quickly emptied. Ringo pulled George away, linking their fingers loosely together and they made their way back to the table. George rushed to make himself look presentable again, straightening his tie and putting on his jacket. Paul and John were already sat down by the time they got there, and Ringo could see some hickies forming under Paul's collar; it was refreshing to know himself and George weren't the only randy ones. 

"How's the bread plan going John?" Ringo asked as he sat down, still a little short of breath. 

"Well... I've drank quite a few by now, and I'm not _really_ feeling _that_ drunk." John said drunkenly. 

"How many is quite a few?" George chuckled. 

"More than 10... Less than 100." John smiled proudly. 

"I've even lost count, that should tell you something." Paul said, he was resting his head against Paul's. 

"Maybe the food will sober him up." Ringo suggested as the waiters began bringing the plates out. 

The starters were delivered after a few minutes, it was some kind of fancy salad. Ringo was a little nervous about the whole eating aspect of it all, as it was difficult to know for sure whether his allergies would act up sometimes. Another daunting obstacle was the cutlery, there was far too much of it. Ringo looked over at George how a child may look at their classmate to copy off their test, and just followed his actions.

"No need to look so terrified." George laughed as he began eating "You've dealt with scarier knives, after all."

Ringo scoffed at the comment but George's dry humour helped him to relax somewhat. They got through the first course, laughing and chatting between mouthfuls, before the plates were collected and the next course was brought out. It was an array of seafood and Ringo let out a heavy sigh.

"What's up?" George asked quietly.

"I'm allergic to seafood." Ringo chuckled awkwardly. "But I don't wanna be rude."

George just smiled, taking his fork and picking off a prawn from Ringo's plate and putting it into his mouth.

"Lads, clear some room on your plates." George mumbled as he continued to eat, picking up Ringo's plate and sharing the food in between the three of them.

"I won't say no to some more scallops." Paul smiled sweetly, John just nodding as he stuffed his mouth with food and drink.

"If you're hungry later we can go out for something." George explained, handing Ringo his almost empty plate back.

"Thanks." Ringo smiled, taking a sip of his drink.

"You can thank me later." George winked.

Ringo felt his stomach stir, he tried not to think about all the ways he wanted to thank him. 

* * *

As the sun began to set, all the dessert plates long empty and everyone was happily chatting away, drinking copious amounts of champagne and smoking. While it was starting to get a little chilly, it was still fairly warm and Ringo didn't feel like moving. The newlyweds had driven off to start their honeymoon an hour or two ago but the festivities had continued. A few groups of people had left and the band were performing their final songs before they called it a night.

"Wanna get another dance in before they head off?" George asked, cigarette sitting between his teeth.

Ringo nodded eagerly and they headed off once again. John had continued on his mission to drink into oblivion and while Paul seemed mildly annoyed, his affection never wavered. John kept rambling about how beautiful Paul was, how lucky he was to have him, which made the other man blush. Ringo had asked if Paul wanted to dance too, but he shook his head with a smile and said he had to stay to look after John. When Ringo looked back at their table as George carried him off, Paul had scooted his chair closer to John's and was resting his legs on top of him, practically sitting in his lap as he comfortingly whispered in his ear; it made Ringo happy to see them so enamoured with one another.

There were a few stragglers on the dance floor, either happy couples or extremely intoxicated people trying their best to remain upright. This time, instead of putting his hand on Ringo's hip, George just put both of his hands on his back and pulled them together, pulling up Ringo's hands to lace behind his own neck. It was still an adjustment for Ringo to be the submissive one in all this, not to say that he minded, but it was still strange to have someone assuming the more typically 'masculine' role. George's hands adjusted themselves comfortably on Ringo's back as the two of them began to sway to the music. Looking into his eyes, with the world darkening around them, Ringo felt like he was in a trance. It felt entirely magical. He could really appreciate George's beauty like this, and there was a lot to appreciate , and no part of him wanted to break their intense stare.

"Have you had a good time?" George asked in a hushed tone.

"Almost perfect." Ringo smiled.

"Almost?"

"Well the day's not over yet."

"And what a finale it'll be." George smirked.

"I sure hope so."

"There's no need to be nervous, you're in safe hands." George punctuated his words by dipping one of his hands into Ringo's back pocket, which gave him a start.

"I've been looking forward to it, quite a lot actually." Ringo admitted, letting his fingers play with George's hair.

"Have you got work tomorrow?"

"No... Why?"

"Good." George smirked "Just thought you might need the rest."

"Well you did promise to fuck my brains out. Am I remembering that correctly?"

"Don't you worry, Ringo. I'm a man who keeps his promises." George purred.

Ringo looked deep into his eyes and saw no sign of hesitation in them. He gulped, that familiar stir in his stomach rising up. The way George said his name like that was unfair, it sounded too good, like Ringo's name was made to come out of George's mouth. He expected that wouldn't be the last time George would be calling his name that night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the bouquet falling to Ringo is a little unrealistic but I love the idea too much I just couldn't not do it. I hope you guys are enjoying this, please don't hesitate to leave a comment it's great motivation for me!  
> I expect the next chapter to get pretty nasty so if you've been waiting for some sinful smut then stay tuned.  
> Also I don't know much about Ringo's allergies so I just tried to fit it in to the fancy setting.


	14. Release

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> George takes Ringo back to his after the wedding and they finally get to release some long building tension.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HUGE SMUT WARNING FOR THIS CHAPTER (i apologise in advance)

While there had been no official end to the whole event, it had gotten to a point now where almost everyone had either gone home or was preparing to leave. A group of several people were staying in the house overnight, they seemed to be those closest to the groom and bride but as that definitely didn't include George and Ringo, they decided to head off. As they walked back down the drive leading to the street, George and Paul helping to support John as they went, the elder man who had spoken to Ringo and George earlier that day seemed to be waiting for them. A large smile grew on his face as he saw the state they were all in, particularly John.

"Here they are! Trust you lot to drink your weight in champagne." He laughed heartily "There's no way I could live with myself knowing I let one of you drive back in such a state. Let me drive you home and I'll send for your cars in the morning."

"But we're not even drunk." John grinned cheekily, his feet dragging as George and Paul carried him. 

"Always the joker, aren't you John? Come on now, let's get you home." 

They followed the man down the street and climbed into his car as best they could. Paul sat in the front voluntarily, being the least drunk of the four of them, while John sat sandwiched between George and Ringo in the back.

"If you're sick on me Lennon, you won't hear the end of it." George threatened lightly as John's head flopped down onto his shoulder.

"I wouldn't dream of such a thing." John slurred, already sounding on the verge of sleep.

George passed Ringo a look of 'wish me luck' before the car sped off. The radio was turned up loud on the journey back to George's building, their gracious driver making typical comments about how different music was these days, and Ringo let his head rest against the window. He was at the crossroads of drunkenness in which he could easily fall asleep or drink more and risk taking it too far, and he wasn't really in the mood for sleep. Apart from the music the drive was relatively quiet, Paul making idle conversation with their driver and occasionally asking how everyone was in the backseat; John would mumble every so often, his eyes closed, and George would just laugh.

When the car stopped outside the block of flats, Ringo got out first so that Paul could help drag John out into the street. Once again George and Paul had to help him walk, John was almost entirely unconscious, and Ringo had to open all the doors and call the lift.

"Does he always get like this?" Ringo asked.

"More often than not, unfortunately." Paul smiled "He's dealing with a lot at the minute, always is really. I'm just relieved he's fallen asleep rather than getting all riled up and picking a fight. Just praying he _stays_ asleep."

They hauled John into the lift carefully and rode up to one of the top floors. Ringo was starting to feel a little nervous now, but he wasn't sure whether it was his actual emotions or the alcohol playing on his mind. When they arrived on their floor, Ringo waited by George's door as John was carried into one of the other flat's cautiously. Ringo heard a thud which he assumed was John being thrown onto the sofa, then he heard Paul and George whispering and laughing. Paul poked his head round the door to say his goodbyes as George unlocked his front door.

"Don't stay up too late." Paul winked dramatically before vanishing back into the flat, shutting the door and locking it.

Ringo chuckled awkwardly as they made their way into George's living room, the lights were flicked on and George tossed his keys onto the table. He walked in front of the mirror and undid his tie, taking off it off along with his jacket and discarding it onto a nearby chair, letting out a sigh as he did so.

"God, I get sick of wearing suits all the damn time." George said, looking over at Ringo who had barely moved into the room "But _you_ in a suit, I don't think I could get sick of that." He moved towards Ringo then, a dark look in his eyes.

"I look good, do I?" Ringo smiled awkwardly, his heart was beating quickly in his chest.

"Gorgeous." George breathed "Though, I wouldn't mind having a look at what's underneath." He slowly undid Ringo's tie as he spoke, looking up into his blue eyes for approval.

"Hey now, you've already seen me naked. I think it's only fair I get to see you too." Ringo tried to keep his tone somewhat authoritative, but the sight of George's fingers working made him stutter.

"Oh really?" George had moved his mouth to Ringo's ear now, whispering in it breathlessly, then began planting kisses along his jaw "You better put those hands to work then."

Ringo didn't need to be told twice; using his shaky hands to undo the buttons of George's shirt desperately. George began to undress Ringo too, dropping his jacket to the ground and stripping him of his shirt. When both of them were shirtless, Ringo seized George's face to kiss him how he'd been waiting to kiss him all night: passionately and without hesitation. His tongue intruded the taller man's mouth immediately, making George groan lowly, as the kiss became wet and heated. George moved them over to the sofa, not pulling away from one another, and pulled Ringo onto his lap so that he was straddling his thighs. George moved his hands from Ringo's face down to his hips, one rubbing over Ringo's arse and grabbing the cheek roughly, causing the older man to moan into his mouth. George began caressing the clothed skin and Ringo would involuntarily roll his hips, rubbing against George's firm thigh in a desperate need for friction. George broke the kiss and began kissing down Ringo's neck slowly, his tongue circling over spots and his teeth lightly nibbling on the skin. Ringo's hands were in George's hair, tugging at it and moving it between his fingers as he felt himself coming completely undone. George bit down on the spot where Ringo's shoulder met his neck, causing him to curse out wantonly which made George grin, humming happily as he continued to tease the skin.

"George..." Ringo's voice was shaky as he rolled his hips again.

"Hmm?"

"I need... Want. Just-" Ringo stammered, his head was a mess.

"Need what, love?" George began unbuckling Ringo's belt.

"Need more. Need you." He shamelessly rambled, feeling himself hardening as George's hands brushed against his cock.

"This what you want?" George grinned as he lowered Ringo's trousers as best he could to begin lightly teasing his clothed erection with his fingers.

Ringo nodded, his mouth open and his breath heavy. George chuckled lowly as he dipped a finger beneath the waistband of Ringo's boxers, pulling at the elastic but not removing them entirely. Ringo groaned and pushed his hips forward into George's hand, he just need _more_.

"We are desperate, aren't we?" George kissed Ringo's chest as he gripped Ringo's erection through the fabric.

"Please... Need to feel you." Ringo's hips continued to stutter.

George smiled against his bare skin, circling his finger over the head of Ringo's cock which had already began leaking. George chuckled again before moving suddenly, altering Ringo from his haze of pleasure, as he was being picked up and carried over to the bedroom. Ringo just allowed himself to be moved like this, he had no energy in his body for resistance nor any desire to. George managed to get the door open with the man in his arms, and kicked it shut behind them, as he gently lowered Ringo on the bed. George crawled on top of him, kissing all over his skin before arriving at his groin once more. He threw the loose belt to the side, then taking off Ringo's trousers and boxers together; he hissed as he felt the air hitting his skin. As much as George had mocked Ringo for it, he was clearly desperate too, as he made quick work of wrapping his fingers around Ringo's length and kissing around it. Ringo moaned loudly at the contact, gripping the sheets as he threw his head back.

"W-Wait." Ringo choked out, unable to lift his head as George ran his tongue over the head.

George halted "You alright?" He sounded concerned, and his voice was deliciously husky.

"I don't want that... I want- I want to feel _you_." Ringo felt relieved that he couldn't look George in the eye, he felt far too embarrassed saying all this.

"Are you sure? You might not like it." George was still lazily running his fingers over Ringo, making sure he didn't lose any hardness.

"I'm sure." He breathed, managing to lift himself up on his elbows "And you're still overdressed."

"Do something about it, then." George challenged, his eyes darker than usual.

Ringo sat up as best he could with George on top of him, undoing his belt as he tried to regain his composure. George looked down at him eagerly, one hand playing with Ringo's hair as his trousers were brought down. Ringo froze in front of George's boxers, his brain was firing at him that this was the moment now, there was no turning back. He looked up at George who smiled somewhat sweetly, it was difficult to look sweet with his eyes like that, and took a deep breath. Ringo's fingers shakily traced over the shape of George in his boxers, which made him inhale sharply, and he halted again.

"Ringo... It's okay." George whispered, running his thumb over the other's cheek, and that was all Ringo needed to hear.

Ringo took a final deep breath then pulled George's boxers down, releasing his hardness in front of Ringo's face. It was strange, he had to admit, to see a man's genitals like this but his arousal in the moment overpowered all doubt. He stopped his hand from shaking and wrapped it around George's erection, he hissed at the feeling of the cold metal of his rings against his hot skin. They shifted their position somewhat so that Ringo could move his arms with more ease, George still straddling him with his legs extended. They got George's trousers and boxers off so that the two of them were now both fully nude.

Ringo ran his other hand up George's slim thigh, earning a small groan as the other began pumping him. What was the strangest about it all was that it wasn't _really_ strange, Ringo knew how to do all this because he'd done it to himself. George steadied himself by placing a hand on Ringo's shoulder and he gently thrust into the other's hand. Ringo began to feel more in control, it was the familiar satisfaction of knowing you were making your partner feel good, but it was so much more intense than it had been with any other girl. Seeing George's jaw tightening in pleasure, small gasps escaping his mouth, just made Ringo all the more excited. He continued to move his fingers up and down George's length, picking up a comfortable pace which continued to speed up.

Then Ringo surprised himself, as though his body was acting against his will and without thought, as he licked the underside of George's cock. It made George shudder, and his moan came out stuttered and breathless and Ringo thought it was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard. The taste was strange, nothing like a girl, but he didn't dislike it. So close to George now, Ringo could smell him so much more and the pure masculinity of the aroma just spurred him in further. It hurt his neck to do this, but he didn't care, as he moved his hand down to the base of George's erection and placed the remainder in his mouth.

"Fuck, Ringo." George moaned, pulling at his hair.

Ringo didn't want to take it too far, as much as his brain was desperate to take more and more of George into his mouth he knew he wouldn't be able to - that was something he'd have to build up to. He couldn't get much more than George's head in his mouth before his gag reflex started reacting, it was an entirely new sensation. He felt George's fingers digging into his shoulders as he fought the urge to thrust into Ringo's mouth. His moans only grew louder and louder, making Ringo groan around his length which sent vibrations through him and it was all becoming too much. George carefully pulled Ringo off him, running his thumb over his plump lips as he smiled.

"If you keep that up I'm not gonna last much longer." George lowered his shaky legs down so that he was sitting on Ringo now "I want to fuck you Ringo, but only if you're comfortable with it."

The word made Ringo's breath catch in his throat and he couldn't think of any way to respond other than kissing the other man desperately. As they pressed their lips against one another, breathing shallow breaths into each other's mouths, George moved Ringo further up in the bed then pulled away to kneel behind his legs. He ran his hand over Ringo's knees, parting them gently so that he could comfortably sit between them.

"I'm gonna have to loosen you up first. You've never done anything like this before, have you?" The way George was able to shift from his deep, rough voice to this calm sweetness was much appreciated by Ringo.

"Well, not really." Ringo stumbled over his words, he didn't want to reveal what he'd done a few days ago but couldn't bring himself to lie either.

"Oh?" George smirked, his sharp teeth showing.

"Um... It's a bit embarrassing." Ringo chuckled awkwardly, resting back on his elbows.

"I wanna know." George kissed Ringo's knee, lightly planting kisses along his thigh.

"I just didn't want this to get ruined, y'know? Like if I got too scared or it was too weird..." Ringo frowned "So I just _tried_ it..."

"You dirty boy." George said in-between soft kisses, Ringo didn't like how much those words excited him "You fingered yourself, then? Did you like it?"

Ringo nodded, not wanting to incriminate himself further. 

"Mmmm, good. I would've paid good money to see that. What did you think about?" George flashed another toothy grin, knowing very well what Ringo thought about.

"You." Ringo was struggling to breathe, even with George barely touching him.

"What about me?" George hummed, gently playing with Ringo's cock.

"Just- Wished it was you instead. Thought about your fingers inside me..." Ringo choked out, finding it hard to hold George's gaze.

"Only my fingers?" He ran his other hand down to Ringo's hole, drawing painfully close to it.

"Your cock, too." Ringo blurted out, and George looked more than satisfied.

"Well... Imagining is one thing, _feeling_ is another." George ran his finger over Ringo's entrance then, and then again, making the shorter man squirm.

George brought his hand up to his mouth then, sucking on three of the digits messily to wet them with saliva; Ringo was completely mesmerised watching his lips curl around the fingers, the popping sound they made as he pulled them out made Ringo moan. He brought the hand back down to Ringo's arse then, using the fingers to wet the hole as best he could. It felt cold, and a little strange, but he did his best to stay calm.

"Just try to relax, okay? If it hurts too much or you want to stop, you _have_ to tell me." George said and Ringo nodded eagerly.

George slowly pressed the finger into Ringo, who clenched up immediately at the intrusion, but with George using his other hand to draw soothing circles over his skin, he was able to relax again and allow the finger to penetrate him further. It stung, just a little, and it was certainly weird having someone else doing this to him.

"God. You're tight, Ringo." George breathed, pushing his finger deeper, up to the second knuckle "You're doing so well."

Ringo gripped onto the sheets tightly with both hands, his breathing wrecked and he could feel sweat forming on his forehead. The pain gradually vanished as George continued to wet the hole with his spit, it felt incredibly dirty having George spit on him like that - and especially having him spit _there_ \- but it shamefully excited him. George began to move the finger in and out, trying his best to be gentle, and Ringo couldn't contain his moans. George would look up at him every so often, a smirk on his face to see Ringo so unravelled.

"You ready for another?" George asked softly.

"P-Please." Ringo could hardly get any words out.

George spat on his hole again, pulling his finger out swiftly but gently so that he could wet them in his mouth again. _God_. Ringo's eyes rolled at the sight, knowing that the finger had been inside him and now George was sucking on it happily. Before too long two fingers were being pressed into him, it felt like so much more than it had when he'd done it to himself, but he tried not to worry and to let it happen. George gradually loosened him up, managing to get a third finger in before too long.

"You're taking it so well, love." George purred "You look so beautiful, letting me do this to you."

Ringo couldn't respond coherently, he was a mess of sweat and moans. He was making the most obscene noises he ever had in his life, but he couldn't even think to stop himself, his mind was completely overrun with pleasure. George toyed with Ringo's cock as he fingered him, either jerking it or loosely putting it into his mouth but was careful not to overstimulate him. Ringo was getting impatient, as much as he knew they needed to do this or it'd be unbelievably painful, he just need George inside of him _now_.

"George, I'm ready. Please..." Ringo panted.

George looked up at him lustfully, his pupils dilated and his lips shining with spit. He didn't hesitate, pulling his fingers out of Ringo and shifting himself forward. Ringo winced at the empty feeling as George picked up his legs and loosely wrapped them around himself. George gave his faltering erection a few loose strokes, moaning at the touch; the sight was purely _criminal_ , Ringo thought. Then he felt George's cock pressed up against his hole and he gasped, it felt far thicker than any of his fingers had, but he pushed the panic down inside himself.

"Ready?" George asked, his hand on Ringo's hip.

Ringo nodded once more and felt George beginning to push himself inside. Both of them moaned desperately, George fighting the intense urge to thrust all the way inside. 

"Fuck!" George called out as he slowly pushed himself further inside "You're so fucking tight, Ringo. Tightest arse I've ever fucked."

Ringo breathed heavily, unable to string a sentence together as he adjusted to the feeling, he just hoped that George continued spilling filthy things from his mouth. After a few moments, George was fully inside him and Ringo felt like his entire body was on fire with ecstasy. George captured his lips in a sloppy kiss as he slowly pulled himself out, thrusting back in gently. It felt _incredible_. Ringo felt jealous of all the girls he'd ever fucked, because this feeling was like nothing else. He could hardly keep his eyes open as George began to speed up his pace, resting his hand beside Ringo's head shakily.

"You feel so good. So fucking good." George panted "Been waiting to fuck you for so long, Ringo."

"Oh God, George..." Ringo moaned, resting his hand on his neck as he looked deep into his eyes as thrust deep inside him.

"How does it feel? Does it feel good? Tell me how it feels." George rambled, continuously looking down so that he could see his cock disappearing into Ringo's hole.

"You feel amazing, George. Just- Don't stop."

"I don't plan on it. God, could fuck you forever. Just want to bloody destroy you." George growled.

"Do it."

"What?" George halted, he was clearly getting lost in the pleasure. 

"Destroy me." Ringo could hardly believe his own words, but he didn't regret saying them. 

George grunted, thrusting deep inside Ringo a couple more times before pulling out entirely which startled Ringo. 

"Turn over." George ordered and Ringo flipped himself onto his front, George's hand quickly pulling his hips up so that he could rub his erection against Ringo's arse. 

Then he thrust back inside, and Ringo nearly screamed in both pleasure and shock, it felt so much deeper now they were like this and it felt so _good_. George's hand gripped onto Ringo's hip again, far more roughly this time, as he fucked into him harder and faster. Ringo felt his mind slipping away, it was just all so much and he was just melting into the pure pleasure of it all. 

"Fuck, Ringo, you're so good taking me like this. I'm so fucking lucky to be the first one, to be the _only_ one want put my dick in your arse like this." George moaned, his grip only tightening. 

"Just you, George. You're the only one." Ringo panted, his face pressed hard against the covers.

"Mmmm, good. Don't want anyone else to feel you. This arse is mine, isn't it?" George growled, and when Ringo didn't answer he brought his hand down hard on his cheek. 

"Fuck!" Ringo shouted, feeling the sting on his bare skin. It was a shock, he hadn't expected George to get so rough but he didn't want him to stop "Yes, yes, yes! All yours, George." 

"That's better." George laughed lowly, picking up his pace even more. 

He continued to slap Ringo's arse as he fucked him, never as hard as the first time though. The sounds in the room were obscene, both men panting and moaning loudly, the skin slapping on skin. Ringo never wanted it to end, but judging by George's erratic thrusts it wouldn't be much longer until it was all over. He was grunting heavily, his hair sticking to his forehead with sweat, as he ruthlessly pounded into him. Ringo was in heaven, he had expected it to feel good but never like _this_. 

"I'm getting close, Ringo." George punctuated each word with a harsh thrust, rocking Ringo's body forward. He reached his hand around to rub Ringo's leaking cock, which only made Ringo all the more undone. "I want... I want to cum inside you, will you let me?" George sounded nervous for the first time, and it made him so much more endearing to Ringo. 

He hadn't thought about this aspect of it all, the end. With a girl it had always been finishing in the condom, or without one onto their back or chest; he had never cum inside a girl before, for obvious reasons, but it was different now, with George. He wasn't sure what to think, if he could really think at all, but the thought of George's cum filling him up was far too appealing to refuse. 

"Y-Yes..." Ringo breathed, the simultaneous feeling of George fucking into him and toying with his cock was tearing him apart.

George grunted in response, picking up his pace once more as he tried to sync up his thrusts with his hand on Ringo's erection but it was difficult with how overwhelmed he was feeling. 

"So so good." George panted, his moans getting louder and more desperate "You're so fucking perfect, Ringo. Never fucked anyone like you before, don't want to fuck anyone else but you."

His words were getting lost in his moans and heavy breaths, his hand pressing so hard into Ringo's hip that he was likely bruising it. Ringo was getting closer and closer to the edge, when suddenly George altered his angle and his cock brushed up against that sensitive spot inside him. Ringo screamed out, feeling himself tense around George who moaned just as loud. All it took was another thrust in the exact same spot for Ringo to spill all over George's hand and the bed. With his orgasm, all his muscles tightened which brought George over the edge as he spilled his load deep inside the other man. Ringo was entirely overwhelmed, not only with his own climax but also the unusual feeling of cum being shot inside him. It was the longest climax he'd ever experienced, and he truly understood what people meant when they said they 'saw stars'. He felt George collapsing on top of him, letting out a stream of curses and Ringo's name, which then pushed him down flat onto the bed. 

After a few moments he managed to catch his breath somewhat, having enough strength to open his eyes. George was reemerging too, pulling out of Ringo carefully then flopping down beside him to plant a kiss on his forehead. Ringo began to feel the cum leaking out onto his legs, and it felt completely filthy, but it was entirely worth it. He groaned as he readjusted himself to a comfortable position, shuffling towards George who threw his arm over him. 

"That was _amazing_." George chuckled breathlessly, his other hand rubbing the sweat from his forehead. 

Ringo just hummed happily, closing his eyes again as he cuddled up to the younger man. 

"Sorry if I got a little too much. You just felt so _good_." George planted another kiss on the man's head. 

"I wasn't complaining." Ringo whispered "Did you mean what you said?" 

"When?" 

"About not wanting anybody else."

"Oh..." George paused, and Ringo prepared himself to be disappointed "I didn't really realise I was saying all that. But, I mean- I did mean it, but if you don't want that, that's fine." 

"I don't want anyone else." Ringo curled up closer to him, kissing his chest softly. 

"That settles it then, love." Ringo could hear the smile on George's face "Now, we should get in the shower or else we're gonna feel disgusting in the morning." 

He pulled Ringo up with him, who's head was resting on his chest, and gently moved his hair off his face. Ringo sat up too, looking at the other man tenderly. 

"After you, my love." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow its the longest chapter ever can you tell how much quarantine is affecting me?? 
> 
> of course saliva is not adequate lube and USE A CONDOM these boys are uneducated and desperate
> 
> not really sure how i want the story to continue from here so feel free to leave any suggestions in the comments!


	15. Performance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> George lands Ringo a new job at The Babylon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wanna say a big thanks to everyone who gave me a suggestion on how to continue this story, its a massive help! ive got some idea where i want the story to go, but ive never been the best at forward planning so your guess is probably as good as mine. any idea anyone has would be greatly appreciated even if its something small youd like to see, so please don't be shy :)

Several weeks had passed since the wedding and Ringo had been seeing George almost every day when neither of them were working. Although Ringo never really got a better idea of what George's work consisted of over this time, he just had to adjust to George being unavailable for a couple of days without much explanation, in the end Ringo would just be happy to see him again relatively unharmed. George would often drive Ringo to and from work whenever he could and he hardly spent any time in his own house anymore, gradually his belongings shifted over to George's. He saw more of Paul and John too thus they became an odd quartet who would go out to eat dinner together, often concluding the night with a few drinks and dancing until the clubs closed. While the words 'couple', 'relationship' and 'boyfriend' hadn't been properly uttered by either George or Ringo there seemed to be a somewhat unspoken understanding between the two men that they weren't interested in anybody else and essentially did everything couples did without it being official. It didn't bug Ringo much, he thought that George would've been more than happy to declare their exclusivity, but he didn't feel completely ready for it and figured there was ultimately no rush. George had continued to treat Ringo to an array of things: flowers, suits, watches, shoes, chocolates and even a ring. George had approached Ringo a little awkwardly about the whole thing, seemingly unsure about whether he might've been overstepping a boundary.

"Not proposing to me are you, George?" Ringo had joked when George had explained his idea.

"Think we've had our share of weddings for the moment." George had immediately relaxed when Ringo smiled at him "I just didn't know whether it was _your_ thing, you know? Or if you already had enough... Just wanted to treat you, is all."

"You _always_ want to treat me, but I wouldn't say no to a flashy new ring." Ringo beamed, kissing George lightly on the cheek as they sat on his sofa. "I do wish I could pay you back somehow, unfortunately I don't have any tippers as generous as you."

"I could try and get you a new job, if you'd like." George spoke into Ringo's hair, planting soft kisses every so often.

"As in your job? I don't think I'm cut out for all that." Ringo scoffed, playing with George's tie idly.

"No, no, I wouldn't dream of asking that of you." George chuckled "But I heard The Babylon's band is looking for a new drummer. We've got some sway there, I could ask for you."

"You'd do that? I don't even know if they'd want me, it's a pretty swanky club."

"Don't be so modest, Ringo. People are usually so coked up at that place anyway, I doubt it'd be that much pressure. Still though, the pay would be pretty good."

"Well if you could put a good word in, I'd be sure to make it worth your while." Ringo wiggled his eyebrows comically, causing George to push against him playfully.

"I'll see what I can do."

Only a few days passed before Ringo had a call from a rather pompous sounding man asking if he'd swing by The Babylon that same night to try out for the band. He'd arrived on time, just less than an hour before the club opened, to find nobody else there to audition but himself. He'd met the man from the phone, a slimy looking guy who called himself Johnny, and was then asked to play a couple of songs that he believed best showed his ability. It was a little nerve-wracking for Ringo, he hadn't drummed for an audience for years and even back then he'd had the support of his rather shaky band - it consisted of a few of his friends that never really took music that seriously. Nonetheless he seemed to impress Johnny, who stopped him after playing his second song and congratulated him on landing the job. While Ringo wanted to be very proud of himself he couldn't help but feel partly disingenuous, particularly when Johnny had mentioned how George had 'sung his praises', as though he didn't really deserve to be there. Either way, Ringo was just happy to have a change of scenery from his waiting job and the consistent hours and generous pay certainly weren't unappreciated. 

George had been ecstatic when Ringo had told him the news and took him out on a celebratory dinner, although every meal seemed celebratory to Ringo, which culminated in George drunkenly carrying Ringo through the jewellery district to pick out a new ring to mark the occasion. After bothering several jewellers, and being asked to leave a few shops, they settled on a gold ring with a black gemstone in the centre which Ringo thought was very beautiful. He thought to himself that this would be the last time George substantially treated him, and with the money he would now be earning he could finally return the favour somehow. 

One condition of Ringo's new employment was that he needed a new suit in order to fit the group's aesthetic which turned out to be the lead singer in a crisp, teal suit with the rest of the band dressed in pink. Ringo hadn't been too pleased when he received the call from Johnny, not only because he'd had to rely on George yet again to provide for him but that it didn't particularly fit the image he was going after as a professional drummer. Unsurprisingly George had a suit ordered from the same tailors they'd visited previously, and insisted that Ringo wore it as soon as it arrived.

"You're gonna laugh at me." Ringo called out from behind the bathroom door, looking at himself in the mirror.

"I promise I won't, just come out!" George was already snickering. 

Ringo unlocked the door and stepped out into George's hallway, his face beginning to match the colour of his suit as he saw the grin grow on George's face. George had previously commented on how peculiar it was that Ringo had insisted on getting dressed privately considering how much they'd been undressing - among other things - in front of one another as of late, but had respected Ringo's wishes all the same. 

"I look ridiculous." Ringo held his arms out and did a little spin, his expression grumpy.

"You look lovely, Ringo. Like a strawberry milkshake." George chuckled, walking closer to Ringo and inspecting the suit "I could just drink you up."

"Gross." Ringo smiled "I'm starting to think you only got me this job so I'd have to dress like this."

"It may have crossed my mind." George smirked "But in all honesty you look great, real sharp. It only looks funny now cause you're not in the club."

"Suppose so... Thanks again for getting it for me, anyway. I will pay you back this time, and I _mean_ it."

"Don't be daft. I don't want a single penny of that first paycheck, you'll have earned it fair and square."

"What about the second one?"

"Maybe I'll let you buy me a drink, _maybe_."

"Playing hard to get, are you George?" Ringo locked his arms around the taller man, pulling him close.

"You've already got me, Ringo, you know that." George pressed his nose up against Ringo's.

* * *

Ringo had turned up for his final shift as a waiter the following day, George once again dropped him off and offered to pick him up at the end of his shift too. In his typical fashion he opened the door for Ringo, offering his hand to help him out of the car and planting a soft kiss on the back of Ringo's hand before driving off again. The first few times Ringo had felt nervous about the whole ordeal, it was only a matter of time after all before someone from work noticed their little routine, but he didn't want to deny himself or George the happiness of being able to say goodbye to one another so lovingly; ultimately the enjoyment he got out of George treating him that way overpowered his embarrassment and fear until it eventually died out altogether. Ringo sauntered through the doors with a smile on his face, greeting some of the regulars before he headed to the back room to get ready for his shift. Over these past few weeks he'd avoided his colleague somewhat, and he'd noticed him growing extremely cold towards him ever since George had starting driving him to and from work, but he didn't think much of it, it wasn't as though he'd have to see the guy ever again once he'd left. He wasn't too happy when he found out he'd be working with him on this last shift, but he figured he may as well be polite just to make the whole ordeal less painful for the both of them.

"Morning." Ringo smiled at his co-worker who had a rather sour expression on his face.

"Alright?" His tone was flat.

"Not too bad, and yourself?"

"Peachy..." 

Ringo had figured that'd be the end of it all, if he wasn't interested in talking then Ringo certainly wasn't going to force anything. He'd continued working through the hours comfortably, it was an intense relief to know that he wouldn't have to be cleaning tables for at least a little while. Then, just a little after the clock struck 2 his co-worker had asked Ringo if he wanted to go have a smoke with him before he headed home for the day. Ringo had obliged unenthusiastically, but considering the place was almost entirely empty he had no excuse to stay. They headed out of the back door to lean up against the building and smoke; Ringo thought it was a little cheeky that his colleague didn't even have any cigarettes thus had to get one from Ringo.

"So..." His colleague began after taking a drag "What's been going on with you, Ringo?"

"How do you mean?" 

"Well, a couple weeks back rumour started going round that you were getting chauffeured to work. I knew it was nonsense, there's no way you could afford that on this shitty wage. Then the whole thing turned into you being driven to work by some bloke, 'course there's nothing wrong with that, but then I found out _who_ it was." He didn't look at Ringo as he spoke "Again, not really my business who you hang out with, even if they're the fishy sort. Then I saw you a week ago with him, getting taken out of the car like some _princess_ and I saw what he did, Ringo. I _saw_ it."

"Saw what exactly? Look, I'm not really in the mood for all this bullshit so if you've got something to say just spit it out." Ringo glared at him, taking a drag of his own cigarette as he leaned against the wall.

"He kissed you Ringo. I couldn't fucking believe it. I thought you were a good guy, not some _queer_." He spat the word out like it was venom.

"I don't really see how that's any of your fucking business, if I'm honest."

"Act hard all you want, mate, but I can call the cops on you, you know? It's _illegal_."

"And? You wanna call the cops on me so I can tell them about all the grass you sell? I'd love to see you try it, I really would." Ringo chuckled, he was surprised at how unbothered he was by the whole thing.

His colleague scoffed "I'm just sorry for you, Ringo. That those dirty fags have corrupted you like this. I did warn you."

"Who says I've been corrupted? You don't know for me shit, so you can drop the whole concerned act. Just admit that you're prejudiced and fuck off."

"Whatever. Just consider yourself lucky that you're not working here anymore, cause one word to the boss and you'd have the sack."

"Give it a rest, you're not that threatening. Sounds to me like you're pissed off that I'm finally out of here while you're stuck waiting tables with no birds interested in you." Ringo smiled, flicking his finished cigarette to the ground "Now is that all? Cause I've got a number of things I'd rather be doing than talking to you right now."

"Fine, if you're gonna be like that. I'm just looking out for you. Don't come crying to me when the cops come after you or that pretty little boyfriend of yours."

Ringo stopped as he opened the door "Pretty? Sounds like I'm not the only queer around here, mate." He flashed a smile before walking back into the building, letting the door shut behind him and lock his soon to be ex-colleague out in the cold.

* * *

George had promised to watch Ringo play his first night at The Babylon, which made Ringo immediately feel less nervous about the whole thing. They'd gone to the club a couple of times but neither of them liked it all that much; it was a pretty odd place with bright lights and an excessive amount of mirrors. The name made it sound far classier than it was, with the majority of the people there either taking or selling drugs with the rest of them having made their money off of narcotics. A whole range of people were there every night, from just regular folk who had come into a bit of money or towering figures from George's world. It didn't have a particularly negative atmosphere, quite the opposite, but it still wasn't somewhere Ringo particularly enjoyed being, but at least up on the stage hidden behind his drum kit he felt relatively comfortable. George had brought Paul and John along and they were sitting on a table just off the dance floor so that they could get a good view of Ringo and the band. The rest of the guys in the band were friendly enough, and had made sure to make Ringo feel welcome backstage when he arrived, all of them very non-threatening and seemingly talented enough. 

They'd played for an hour or two relatively smoothly, Ringo had to fight through his initial nerves of playing for so many people even if they didn't seem particularly interested in what they were playing. Whenever he could, Ringo would glimpse over to George who would almost always be looking straight back at him with a comforting smile. The three of them drank while Ringo played, eventually Paul and John headed to dance after a few songs but George remained. Soon enough Ringo felt the exhilaration of performing that he'd missed so much and the band announced they'd be taking a short break he was a little upset. He only had around 10 minutes to relax while some woman got up on stage to sing a couple shaky ballads, but Ringo rushed immediately over to George's table where a seat and a drink were being saved for him.

"You're doing great, Ringo!" George beamed at him after pulling away from his initial embrace "I thought you were good, but _wow_." 

"Thanks." Ringo began drinking the beer George had got for him "You can get up and dance you know, if you want."

"I'm alright sitting here, these lot can be a bit hands on, if you know what I mean." George chuckled, he was already a few drinks down "Plus John's a little coked up right now, I don't really have the energy for it."

"Oh." Ringo swallowed "Do you not..."

"Every now and again I might, but I don't _love_ it. Plus I figured it'd be a little rude, I'm here to watch you after all." George ran his hand over Ringo's, his finger playing with the new ring he'd bought.

"Why is there so much of it here?"

"The owner uses the club to launder his money, and it doubles as a shop front." George paused "Or so I've heard."

"Is he one of your people?"

"No, no. We don't get involved in all the drugs and that, but he's a close-ish friend of our head guy."

"How far up are you in the whole... thing?"

"Nowhere too exciting, its kinda hard to figure it all out really. Paul, John and I are all kind of equals as the younger ones, although Paul's always been everyone's favourite. But it's double-edged because we don't get taken fully seriously, but we also need to learn how to handle the business."

"So one day you're gonna be one of the head guys?"

"Maybe, depends which way the wind's blowing." George chuckled "I'd be happy either way really, the last thing I want is a huge target on my back though, especially now I've got you."

Ringo scooted up closer to George and planted a kiss on his cheek "Well you've got me to look out for you, now. Don't forget that."

George hummed happily as he pulled Ringo closer for another kiss.

"I should really be heading back now, last thing I need is to get fired on my first day." Ringo sighed, it was so difficult leaving George.

"Don't let me keep you, drummer boy." George winked, holding Ringo's hand as he stood up before finally letting him go.

Ringo made his way through the bustling crowd of intoxicated people, pushing through the door to the backstage area so he could fix his hair before he got back on stage. The lead guitarist was there too smoking a cigarette, his name was Shane and had been the friendliest to Ringo out of the whole band.

"You know George Harrison?" Shane asked, he was sat up on the counters below the mirrors.

"You must know I do or else you wouldn't be asking." Ringo smiled, not tearing his eyes off of his reflection.

"Just be careful, alright? Heard he was stirring up trouble with those friends of his a month or two ago." He didn't sound threatening, but he wasn't overly comforting either.

"How do you mean trouble?"

"Well, word on the street is they got in a scuffle with that Chapman lot and killed a bunch of their men. Those Chapmans are wild, take it from me, and it's going round that they want revenge."

"Revenge? All sounds a bit dramatic to me."

"They're not like the other families, these guys. They ain't got no connections, and no _respect_." He paused to take a long drag of his cigarette "Do you carry a knife?"

"No! Who do you take me for?" Ringo scoffed.

"Well you might wanna consider it, that's all I'll say. You're a nice guy Ringo, and an even better drummer, I don't wanna lose you to all that nonsense." Shane smiled but it didn't do much to sway Ringo's nerves.

In a couple minutes the whole band was on stage again, playing for an audience that was only becoming more inebriated as the songs went on. Ringo couldn't shake his nervous feeling, even when looking over at George who looked nothing but relaxed. Ringo's eyes scouted across the crowds when he had the chance, his drumming was essentially second nature, and he noticed a few more serious looking people dotted around the club; they weren't security, they weren't official looking, but had a very imposing aura about them. Ringo disliked this club the more he spent any time in it, but he just figured he'd have to adjust to these sorts of crowds if he was gonna work there.

About an hour passed and Ringo was full into the swing of it all, really allowing himself to enjoy playing with the band even if he did look like a walking raspberry. The singer was very energetic and it was contagious, Ringo felt himself becoming looser and louder as time went by and he was sad to think that it wouldn't be long before their shift would be over. He couldn't thank George enough for getting him an opportunity like this, to finally focus all his time on drumming and to actually get a decent pay for it too. His mind was swimming in happiness, he couldn't wipe the huge grin off his face while he drummed.

At least that was the case before a haunting sound echoed throughout the club. Several gunshots were fired, dispersing the crowd and setting everyone running off screaming. Ringo ducked off the stage quickly, trying his best to see through the chaos and to find George somewhere but he wasn't sat at the table and Ringo's heart was racing. He started to wish Shane had given him that advice about carrying a knife before tonight. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you're wondering YES it's the same Babylon from Scarface just a little less 80s and YES it's Ringo's famous pink suit from when he was with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes
> 
> i hope you guys are enjoying and that you're all staying happy and healthy!


	16. Captive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ringo searches for George in the club but is met with some resistance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fun fact i decided against writing a dissertation for my final year of uni because i didnt think id be able to write 10,000 words over 3 months and here i am writing 5 times that amount in less than 1 month

Ringo had ducked off the stage as soon as he heard the gunshots, he hurt his ankle somewhat as he sloppily landed on the ground and took shelter in the nearest booth. The rest of the band had scattered, most of them heading through the door to the backstage area immediately, but Shane had remained scoping the area until his eyes landed on Ringo. He rushed over to where he was crouched under the table and seized his arm aggressively.

"We've gotta get out of here, _now_." He commanded, trying to pull Ringo out.

Ringo tried to push him away, attempting to loosen the tight grip he had on his arm "I can't Shane, not while George is still here."

Shane sighed "Don't be stupid, you have no idea what you're getting yourself into. Just come with me, Ringo, he's not worth dying for."

"You don't know him." Ringo smiled sadly "I can't leave him behind, I just _can't_. Just go, Shane."

Shane nodded solemnly, letting go of Ringo's arm and hurrying to the backstage door while trying to keep his body low. The initial gunshots had been followed by a series of screams, yells and the sound of glasses smashing. Ringo crawled out from under the table slowly, the dance floor had cleared completely and the sounds of screaming faded into the distance as the majority of the crowd managed to escape. He tried to keep his mind focused, as much as the terror of the whole situation tried to possess him he wouldn't allow himself to simply flee. As much as his mind told him that George was fine, that he'd know exactly what to do in this situation, he knew deep down that he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he left him behind. He crept behind one of the many pillars dotted around the room that allowed him to get a full view of what was going on. He could see bloody footprints and trails heading towards the main entrance and it made him wince, he only hoped the people managed to get out alive.

He could hear voices, then he spotted the suspicious men he'd noticed earlier huddled in the centre of the room. There was four of them, all holding guns in their hands, and they all set off in opposite directions after conferring with one another. Ringo moved to the next pillar as carefully as he could manage, then he could finally see the table where George had been sitting previously, but he was no longer there. Ringo froze. Was he dead? Had he managed to get out? Maybe Ringo was just being an absolute moron for sticking around and George was already searching for him outside. He had to take a deep breath and shake his head to bring himself back into his body, trying his best to spot George somewhere hidden. The issue with the club is that it had been designed for privacy, particularly the booths, that were hidden away in all of the corners or obstructed by huge pillars or ornaments so that you couldn't see directly into them. Ringo squinted his eyes as he thought he saw a glimmer on the floor of one of the booths, but before he could make out exactly what it was a hand grabbed him roughly from behind.

The hand covered Ringo's mouth, stopping him from screaming, and pulled him back further into the darkness of the club. Ringo struggled as best he could, but their other hand pinned his arms back and all he could do was wildly kick his legs. He paused for a second, trying his best to not let the panic overcome him, and was able to swing his leg backwards hard enough into his attacker's knee that his grip on Ringo's arms faltered and he was able to free himself. Ringo pushed himself away immediately, spinning around to land a punch on the man's face. But the man was far too quick for him, and he caught Ringo's arm and twisted it to force him down to the ground. Ringo cried out in pain as his face was pushed down into the dirty carpet, and he heard voices calling from the centre of the room.

"I've got one!" His attacker shouted, the pride in his voice clear.

Ringo then heard the sound of tape being ripped from above him and before he was able to think through the pain he felt his wrists being tied together sloppily. Then he was dragged by his hair into the centre of the room where the four men he'd seen originally seemed to be waiting for him.

"Well isn't he pretty in pink." One man laughed.

"Who is he? He's not one of theirs."

"No clue, but he was sneaking around that's for sure." His attacker spat on the ground next to Ringo's knees.

"I recognise him... I've seen him with the Harrison lad quite a few times."

"Is that so? He could be useful then."

"Should we take him back with us?"

"Just wait a minute, let me try something." One of the men grinned, walking over to Ringo and seizing him by the neck to bring him closer into the middle.

The man pulled out a gun and Ringo yelped, he was cursing himself for being so careless. He felt the cold metal of the barrel pushing against his temple as he knelt on the ground, his arm was throbbing in pain and he felt like bursting into tears.

"Now! We wouldn't want anything sour to happen to your little friend now, would we Harrison?" The man announced, looking around the room for any sign of movement "Let's just make this easy for all of us, come out now and we won't have to hurt him."

Silence. 

What if George wasn't even here? He easily could've gotten away, and if so was Ringo just going to die all the same? Ringo squeezed his eyes shut tightly as he heard the hammer of the gun being pulled back. This was really it.

"Last chance! If you don't want to get brains all over your friends lovely suit I suggest you show yourself, _now_." He called louder this time.

Silence.

Ringo steadied his breathing, trying to ignore the sweat forming on his forehead or the way his throat burned with the desire to cry. He had to pray the man was bluffing, he had to pray for something. 

"Alright!" A voice called from afar, and Ringo felt a mixture of relief and horror when he recognised it as George's.

Ringo's eyes shot open and searched desperately for him, trying not to jerk too violently, when he saw him stepping out from one of the booths with his hands up. Ringo had never seen a more pained expression on his face than when he saw Ringo in such a desperate position.

"Are you alone?" The man asked, his hand still gripping the gun "Where are the other two?"

"They got out." George said plainly, taking slow steps down the stairs and closer to the group.

"Why didn't you?" The man asked with a grin.

George glanced immediately to Ringo, but brought his gaze back to the man a second later "What do you want?"

"Well things got a little ugly the last time, didn't they? We're willing to give your guys another chance, to make up for all the mess you made. If you don't kick up a fuss this can all go smoothly. We don't want to kill you, we're not _animals_." The man said with the gun still pressed against Ringo's head.

"Fine." George sighed "But you don't need to take him, he's got nothing to do with any of this." He was struggling to hide the panic in his voice.

"I dunno... He must be pretty important to you, so I think we'll bring him along." He finally moved the gun away but Ringo wasn't any less tense.

"He's not." George said flatly, but it looked like there were tears in his eyes "I just don't want anyone getting hurt, I couldn't care less about him."

Ringo looked at George desperately but he wouldn't return his gaze. 

"Is that so? I guess we won't be needing him then." The man tutted, then signalled to some of the other men to move.

Two men approached Ringo now, one roughly dragging him to stand up shakily onto his weak legs. He was returned once more to his helpless position with his arms pinned behind his back, then the second man approached with his fists raised. Ringo turned his head and shut his eyes as if it would lessen the pain, but he couldn't ignore the sting of the man's fist punching his stomach. He was hit again and again, the building was silent except for the sound of Ringo crying out in pain and the repeated noise of the punches landing on his body. Ringo managed to open his eyes and catch a glimpse of George who stood there watching, he could see the tension in George's body and how his hands were shaking as they were still held up above his head. As much as he knew George was trying to protect him through all this, it still hurt to know that George wasn't doing anything to stop it. Ringo wished he could fight back, to just do _something_ , but his body was only growing weaker and his chances against a group of armed men were ridiculously slim.

After what felt like a lifetime, George finally spoke up in a strangled shout.

"Stop it! Jesus, fine... Do what you want with me just leave him alone." George had never sounded so desperate, and the tears in his eyes were beginning to fall " _Please_."

The man who had previously held the gun to Ringo's head, who he figured had to be the leader of this little group, chuckled when he saw how effectively his plan had worked. He made another signal with his hands and Ringo was once again dropped to the floor, his knees would've stung with pain if his body wasn't already drowning in agony. His face and torso were bruised and aching, he struggled to open one of his eyes and it hurt to breathe. George made a step to rush towards Ringo, his face completely distraught, but the man held up his gun again but this time pointed it at George.

"Let's not get carried away here. You forced us to do that, don't forget it." His voice was like poison "Now I think we've stayed here far too long already, we best be on our way."

The man nodded and the remaining two men rushed towards George, kicking the back of his leg to force him to the ground and taping his wrists together behind his back just as they had with Ringo. George didn't resist, his head was bowed in shame. Ringo stared at him defiantly, trying to send his thoughts into George's head so that he would finally look at him, but he never did.

When George was tied up, himself and Ringo were carried out hastily from the club where two cars were waiting. The streets were fairly empty given the time of night and Ringo wondered how the police hadn't arrived yet. The boots of the cars were opened and George and Ringo were carelessly tossed inside like luggage. When darkness descended onto Ringo as the boot was shut with him inside, the panic really began to set in. It was pitch black in there and it made no real difference whether his eyes were open or not. He tried to struggle in his restraints but it was no use, he wasn't going to get out of them by himself. Then the car's engine turned on and it began to speed off down the road, rocking Ringo around in the boot roughly. None of this felt real, it was like some disorientating nightmare.

He began to curse himself for not running out of the club with everyone else, but then his mind debated what might've happened to George if he hadn't. It probably would've turned out for the best, both of them managing to escape and reunite without any problems at all, but Ringo just had to be so careless. There was no use dwelling on it now, he just had to pray that he'd get out of here alive. They had said they didn't want to kill them, but they didn't strike Ringo as the most trustworthy people. His whole body was still aching, he'd never experienced pain like this before and he hoped he never would again. He hoped the worst of it was over, and that it wouldn't be long before someone came to save them. George had told him about what had happened with Paul before, and they'd gotten him out safely, but it had also resulted in George getting stabbed and a bunch of dead bodies. Ringo shuddered in the darkness, trying to keep his mind as calm as it could be in a situation like this, but it wasn't easy.

After a long while the car came to a halt, Ringo tried to guess how long they'd been driving for and estimate where they might've ended up but it was near impossible. The boot was opened once more, the light flooding in blindingly, and Ringo was thrown out onto the hard road. 

"Get up." The man said gruffly, forcing Ringo to his feet and shoving him forward.

They were at some kind of abandoned building, Ringo didn't recognise it which only made him feel all the more uneasy. He was ushered inside carelessly, he could barely walk but he had to keep going, until they came to a small, bare room which was lit by a single hanging light bulb. The man shoved Ringo forward harshly, causing him to fall to the floor yet again, and then slammed the door shut. Ringo hastily looked around the room for some way out, for something to get his bindings off him but it was stripped bare. A few moments later the door opened again and George was thrown to the ground in front of him, and this time when the door was shut he could hear it being locked.

Ringo wanted to rush over to George, to wrap his arms around him and hold him close, but he couldn't. They both looked at one another with pain in their eyes, and it was George who spoke first. 

"I'm so fucking sorry, Ringo. This is all my fault, I never should've got you that job in the first place. It's all my fault." George sounded close to tears and it pained Ringo more than any injury he'd endured.

"George." Ringo spoke softly "You can't blame yourself. I shouldn't have stayed behind to look for you, it's my own stupid fault."

"I'm not gonna let them hurt you anymore." George began sounding angry but his eyes were still filled with tears "Over my dead body."

"Please, George, just calm down. Everything's gonna be alright, they'll send someone for us just like they did for Paul, right?" Ringo tried his best to smile comfortingly, but his face was all bruised and bloodied.

"Eventually... But there's no knowing how long that'll be. We've really pissed these guys off, and I don't trust them one bit." George spat "We have to get out of here ourselves."

"How are we gonna manage that?"

"I dunno yet, I'll think of something..."

"What about your knife, do you still have it?"

"No, they took it off me right quick. We just need something sharp to pierce through the tape, then we can at least be up and moving." Ringo had never heard George sound so focused.

Ringo racked his brain to think of something, looking around the small room and then over at George "What about your belt?"

"What?"

"Your belt... You know, that sharp bit on the buckle. Would that work?"

"It's worth a shot." George smiled now and it eased Ringo's pain somewhat.

George stood up then as best he could, wobbling as he did, then walked over to Ringo who did the same. 

"It's gonna be fiddly, but you've gotta try to push it through the tape hard enough to make a hole. Once you've done that I should be able to get them off you." George explained "Just relax, alright?"

Ringo nodded then turned his back to George so that his hands could awkwardly reach for his belt. It would've been a lot easier if he could see what he was doing, but he knew his captors weren't really considering what was best for him. With his wrists pressed so close together it was difficult to get a grip on the thin piece of metal and even more difficult was trying to angle it so it could hit his restraints. Ringo began to get flustered, losing grip of the metal or moving his wrists down too quickly and missing it entirely. This wasn't going to work, and the panic in his mind began to rise again. George noticed he was getting frustrated and rested his chin on Ringo's shoulder.

"Calm down, love. Just breathe, and try again. I'm right here with you." He whispered, kissing Ringo's neck lightly before pulling back so Ringo could try again.

Ringo took a deep breath and got hold of the metal once more, then pulled his wrists upwards and slammed them down hard until he felt it pushing through the tape. He gasped, even though he felt it tearing at his skin somewhat he didn't care.

"It's through." Ringo breathed, but he felt more tense than he had previously.

"Well done. Now I'm gonna try and rip them off you, hold still." George was still whispering as he turned around to get his finger through the small hole Ringo had created.

Ringo felt George pulling at the tape desperately, but it wouldn't tear and he heard George sighing behind him. He tried again with more force but to no avail.

"I'm gonna have to use my teeth. Can you get up against the wall, love?" George spoke softly and Ringo appreciated how much George was trying to calm him.

Ringo obliged and pressed his front up against the wall, George knelt down behind him and kept adjusting his angle as he tried to get a grip with his teeth. It was awkward to say the least, and Ringo only felt appreciative that he was stuck with George rather than anyone else. After a few tries George managed to get a grip of the restraint in his mouth and he jerked his neck to try and tear it. At first nothing happened but Ringo remained calm, he had to trust George that this was going to work. Then he heard a ripping sound, it was only short but it was something.

"Alright, almost there. You're doing so good, Ringo, just stay calm." George's voice was tight.

He set to work again and it wasn't long before he had ripped through the tape, Ringo couldn't help thinking how useful George's sharp teeth must've been in all this, and finally Ringo could move his arms freely. The restraints were lose enough that Ringo could break through them and the feeling of the tape falling to the ground was something beyond relief. He turned around with an ecstatic expression in his face and quickly set to work on freeing George too. It wasn't easy, the tape was thick and tight, but he persevered and soon they were both free.

Immediately George captured Ringo in a hug, pulling the older man closely to him and taking in a deep breath.

"You did it." George said softly "God you're brilliant, Ringo."

"Let's not get too excited just yet." Ringo chuckled, holding George tightly "We still have to get out of here."

"Right." George huffed, pulling away reluctantly "I've got a plan. Just do what I say and we should get out of here in one piece, alright?"

"Alright." Ringo breathed.

"Before we try this, I just wanna say..." George's voice trailed off "You mean an awful lot to me, Ringo, and I'll do everything I can to keep you safe. If it comes down to it and you can get out without me, I want you to go, okay?"

"George don't be _insane_ , I'm not gonna leave here without you." Ringo placed his hand on George's neck gently.

"Please, Ringo, I couldn't live with myself if you- If..." George struggled to meet Ringo's gaze.

"You've gotta get this in your head, George, we're in this together. No matter what happens I'm gonna be here with you, yeah?" Ringo smiled weakly "I care about you, George, more than anything... In case I don't get a chance to say this: I _love_ you, okay?"

George looked up at Ringo in alarm, those were the last words he was expecting to hear right now. Ringo looked afraid, as though he instantly regretted the words as soon as he said them but when he opened his mouth to explain himself, George silenced him with a kiss. It was a short kiss, but a passionate one, and George whispered in Ringo's ear as he pulled away.

"I love you too, Ringo."

"Really?"

"Really." George smiled, his hand caressing Ringo's check "Now let's get out of here so I can show you how much I mean it."

"Alright, what's the plan?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i keep worrying that im making these boys fall in love too fast, but then i remember i told my boyfriend i loved him after a month of knowing him and we've been together two years now so love makes us all crazy i guess


	17. Escape Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> George and Ringo try and escape the grasps of the Chapman family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im not quite sure how this chapter got so long but i hope you all enjoy!

"So the best thing I can think of right now is that we need to get one of their guys in here so we can jump them. The door's locked, so it's the only real way of getting out of here." George explained, he was holding Ringo's hand as he spoke "Normally I would think it was too obvious, but I don't think these guys are exactly the brightest."

"So how do you plan on doing that?" Ringo asked, they were both seated on the floor with their legs crossed.

"Well, we can make them think something's gone wrong, like you've hurt yourself or something. Then they _have_ to check on us, because if one of us dies they lose their bargaining chip."

"Why am _I_ the one that has to get hurt?"

"You're already pretty beaten up, love." George said as he stroked Ringo's bruised face gently "And they already don't trust me."

"Will it work?" 

"It's the only real plan we've got, unless you can think of something."

Ringo shook his head, he was surprised he'd even come up with the belt idea considering how out of his depth he was. George just smiled at him and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. 

"I'll wait behind the door, then when they come in I should be able to get the jump on them. Fingers crossed they have a gun, that'll improve our chances by a long way." George stood up slowly and offered his hand to help Ringo up, which he took gladly "I don't know how many guys they've got here, but I'm guessing it's the same five from the club."

"So then what? We take on the other four guys and make a run for it? What if there's more of them?"

"Well, there's no _we_ about it, love. I'm not gonna let yourself get hurt again. Let me handle it."

Ringo rolled his eyes "So I just wait for you here like some damsel in distress? I don't think so."

"Ringo, don't say it like that... I just want to protect you."

"I know, my love, but it's probably safer if we stick together anyway. You head out first and I'll follow you, the least you can let me do is watch your back. Don't forget that I want to protect you too."

George smiled sadly then nodded "Fine, we'll do it your way." He made his way to the wall beside the door, pressing himself against it to make his body as flat as possible.

George undid his belt and took it off, wielding it in both hands as a makeshift weapon. He looked over at Ringo who shakily made his way back to the floor, turning his body from the door to be as hidden as possible. A few moments of silenced passed as Ringo turned over ideas in his head about the best way to go about it all, then he heard George cough quietly behind him and it shook him from his thoughts. Ringo took a deep breath then cried out at the top of his lungs.

"Aaaaaah! Oh God! I'm bleeding, fuck, help me!" Ringo shrieked and he could hear George trying to hold back a laugh "Jesus Christ! I'm fucking bleeding, I'm gonna die!"

Ringo continued cycling through this mixture of phrases before a banging came at the door.

"What's going on in there?" A rough voice asked.

"Ringo's really hurt himself, he's bleeding all over the place!" George cried out desperately.

"Well how's he done that?" The voice sounded impatient.

"I don't fucking know, but if you don't get in here he's gonna die!" George tightened his grip on the belt in his hands.

Ringo could hear the sound of the key turning in the lock, and he began to rock dramatically while he forced a continuous stream of pained groans. The door opened and a figure stepped in, but he clearly hadn't moved into the room as much as George had anticipated for he had to kick him forward as best he could from his position, whilst closing the door, before he could even get the belt around his neck. Ringo jumped up immediately, it was a very strange sight to see George like this, but he didn't have any time to stop and stare. 

"Search him, Ringo, see if he has a weapon." George grunted as he pulled the belt tightly down on the man's neck who struggled defiantly.

Ringo stepped forward panicked, lifting the man's jacket to find a gun which he quickly retrieved and held at arm's length. He rooted in his pockets as quickly as he could manage, finding a small switchblade, then jumped backwards to distance himself.

"Give me the knife." George said bluntly, his method clearly wasn't working as anything but a restraint for the man showed no sign of weakening.

Ringo slid the knife into George's hand as he dropped the belt to the ground and in one fluid motion he flicked the blade up and thrust it into the man's back. He held the knife in there for a few seconds as he supported the man's weight on his own, then yanked it out and let the body fall to the floor. Ringo's eyes were wide and he could feel his skin whitening. Blood began trickling out of the wound and had already stained George's hand somewhat. George looked at Ringo with a dark expression, and took the gun from his hand.

"I'm sorry, Ringo, I didn't want you to see any of this. But we've got to get out of here, _now_." George pressed his ear against the door to try and listen for any movement.

"Did you have to kill him?" Ringo asked, his voice a mere whisper.

"Better him than us." George said bluntly "You can't afford to take that risk in a situation like this. Now please, we've gotta go."

Ringo nodded absently, he tried his best to wake his brain back up but it felt like it was slipping. He'd never seen anything like that before, and what was troubling him more than anything is how quickly it all happened. One second the man was alive and the next he wasn't. It was difficult to comprehend, especially with the already troublesome situation he was in, but he knew he had to carry on.

George opened the door slowly and peeked out carefully. Outside the door was a long hallway which had two doors leading out of it. It was empty, for now at least, and George turned back into the room. 

"Ringo, love, I know this is a lot right now, but I need you to stay strong for me, alright?" He looked sympathetic, but Ringo couldn't stop looking at the blood on his hand "I'm gonna take the gun, but I want you to have the knife, just in case."

George placed the knife cautiously into Ringo's hand, it felt very strange to be holding it but he gripped it tightly nonetheless. He had to shake himself out of this, even with the feeling of the warm blood on the handle pressing against his palm. He looked up at George somewhat determinedly and gave him another nod. George started to walk out of the room slowly then, being very careful not to make any noise as he stepped down the hall. It was eerily quiet, Ringo thought, but then again he had nothing to compare his current situation to. They walked behind one another, taking small slow steps to the door closest to them. George pressed his ear against it then pulled away with a confused expression.

"Nothing?" Ringo mouthed and George shook his head.

Ringo caught up behind George and whispered in his ear "Maybe they've left?"

"I wouldn't count on it, but it's dead silent in there." George kept his voice low "Mayb-"

George was cut off by a sound Ringo was regrettably becoming familiar with, a gun shot. It seemed to come from the room George had listened in on, and it made Ringo jump. He looked at George in alarm, but he too looked confused.

"It could be the police." George whispered.

"That's good isn't it?"

"Not for me."

"Well what do we do?"

"Just follow me, and stay quiet."

George pressed against the door once more when another gun shot rang out. It was followed by several others and there were cries and shouts breaking through the door. Then silence fell once more and George pressed his body against the wall as he had done earlier, and pulled Ringo back to do the same. Mumbling could be heard behind the door, approaching footsteps too. George held the gun up and Ringo gripped his knife, he wasn't sure how much he'd actually be able to do but he'd be damned if he was going to do nothing.

The door opened slowly and the sound of footsteps made their way into the hall. One figure emerged from behind the door and George hit them roughly on the top of the head with the butt of his gun and the man cried out in pain.

"Up against the wall and put your hands up!" George shouted, Ringo had never heard his voice like that before.

Another figure had rushed into the hall now, it was difficult to see their faces in the low light. The wounded man fell down somewhat and the second figure rushed over to them immediately, they seemed to have no interest in following George's order nor in attacking them.

"That's a funny way to say thank you." The wounded man spoke and Ringo let out a large breath when he recognised the voice as John.

George gasped and almost dropped the gun, rushing over to help John to his feet. Unsurprisingly Paul was the second figure, the two of them looked fairly ruffled but with no real injuries.

"Wha- How did you-" George stammered.

"You can thank us later, but right now we need to get out of here. It's only a matter of time before the police show up." Paul sounded as gentle as always, even with a gun in his hand.

Ringo stepped forward then, he felt like he'd been somewhat invisible during this reunion of the three and Paul looked up at him worriedly "Jesus, Ringo! They did a real number on you. You're not seriously hurt are you?"

"No." Ringo laughed "Bashed my pretty face up pretty good though. All I need right now is a bath and some sleep."

"A drink wouldn't hurt either." George chuckled, pulling Ringo closer to him.

"Right, well my car's just round the corner, let's head back to yours George and we can call someone from there." Paul explained.

They all nodded in response, Paul heading out of the hallway first followed by John, then George ensured Ringo walked ahead of him before leaving himself. If Ringo had thought seeing that man die before was haunting, the sight of the next room was a whole other world of horror. It was a garage of sorts, and the door had been roughly forced upwards to about half-height, with sparce furniture dotted around. The other four men lay dead throughout the room, lifelessly collapsing against a wall or lying flat on the floor as blood spilled out of them. Ringo gasped at the sight and George instinctively held him close, gripping at his hand as he led him over the puddles of blood. Ringo had never seen anything like it, not even in films or television or even his nightmares. It was so confusing to Ringo to think that Paul and John had achieved this, and showed no sign of remorse about it. Had they deserved it? It was a difficult question to ask, especially when his own life was potentially on the line. Ringo just closed his eyes and allowed George to guide him, he pressed his face to George's chest and focused on the smell of him until they were out on the street.

The cold, night air hit Ringo soberingly and he opened his eyes slowly. George was still holding him close as they approached Paul's car. John looked back at Ringo and George a few times, he looked somewhat feral with his pupils big and a wolfish grin on his face. Paul slid into the driver's seat, with John sitting beside him while George carefully guided Ringo into the back. They all collectively let out a breath when they relaxed in their chairs.

"Now, nobody's seriously hurt are they? Cause I can head to the doctor's if need be." Paul asked casually.

"And Paulie won't want blood over his fancy seats." John chuckled, turning around to laugh with George.

"I think we're fine, aren't we Ringo?" George asked, his arm was around Ringo tightly.

"I've been better." Ringo smiled weakly, his head against George's chest.

"Nothing a good night's sleep won't fix." Paul said sweetly, turning the ignition on.

"And some whiskey, _a lot_ of whiskey." John laughed again as the car began to speed off into the night.

"So what happened? Did you guys follow the cars?" George asked, he was running his finger over Ringo's hip in slow circles.

"Well, when we heard the gunshots John got a little... Excited, should we say?" Paul began, passing a loving gaze to the man beside him "He whipped out his knife and was looking around for whoever shot, but it was impossible to see with everyone running and screaming."

"I'm a man of action, sue me." John said proudly.

"I managed to drag him out of there, the last thing that situation needed was John off his face on coke swinging a knife around." Paul chuckled, Ringo found it peculiar how they could make light of such dark situations "Then we looked around for you and Ringo. One of the band members came up to us and asked if we'd seen you, George, and when we said we hadn't he told us Ringo was trying to look for you."

"All very romantic like." John said, passing a glance to the two very intimate couple in the backseat, Ringo supposed him and Paul must always tell stories this way.

"So we waited outside for a while, but there was no sign of you. By the time we decided to go in and have a look, you were already being tossed into the boot. We rushed to my car right quick and followed them." Paul explained "I'm beginning to wonder if all they know how to do is beat people up and kidnap them."

"Well they aren't even very good at _that_." George laughed.

"Then we waited for a while to see what was going on. We figured there weren't any more guys in the building, seemed pretty empty." Paul spoke absently, his eyes on the road.

"And what happened next you saw on your way out." John chuckled "They really are stupid, these lot. If they carry on like this there won't be any of them left!"

There was silence for a while before Paul spoke again "I'm just sorry you got caught up in all this Ringo, we should've been more alert tonight. I can only apologise."

"It's fine... Think I just need to get used to the fact that being with this one means trouble's gonna follow." Ringo looked up at George, his hand on his chest, who just smiled down at him.

"George always did have a talent for trouble." John mimicked an older woman's voice and it set them all laughing.

It wasn't too long before they arrived at their building, Ringo had calmed down considerably in the presence of the three others laughing and joking with one another. Despite seeing what he had tonight, and what George had done, he still felt safer than ever before pressed up against him. When the car came to a halt, George pressed a soft kiss on the top of Ringo's head before slowly pulling away from him. Paul and John got out of the car quickly, leaving the two of them alone in the back.

"Are you alright? If you want to go home I can drive you, or call a taxi if you'd like. I won't be offended." George spoke softly.

"No, no, don't be silly. I'm just gonna be a bit shaken up for a while, you know?" Ringo smiled up at him, taking his hand into his own.

"I understand. I reacted the same way the first time I saw something like that, unfortunately you just have to get used to it. But you should _never_ have seen that in the first place, and I can't tell you how sorry I am for putting you through that."

"Please don't blame yourself. At the end of the day you were just protecting me, and yourself. I knew what I was getting into when I started seeing you, I'm not about to run away now."

George opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the car door being opened and John sticking his face inside "There'll be plenty of time to cry and suck each other off upstairs, alright? Get a move on, I want a drink."

"Oh, piss off." George laughed as he opened the car door on his side.

The two of them shuffled out of the car, George helping Ringo onto his feet as always. The two of them held hands as they walked into the lobby, and the pain of Ringo's injuries really started to sink in; his legs were weak and his face felt like it was on fire, his stomach throbbing in agony. What amazed him was that this didn't qualify as being 'seriously hurt' and he didn't want to imagine how painful it must feel to be stabbed, or even worse.

The conversation remained light as they travelled up in the lift, John and Paul seemed as happy as ever. George unlocked his front door and they piled in, Ringo collapsing onto the sofa and Paul taking the nearest chair. John vanished into the kitchen in search of alcohol, returning with a bottle and four glasses which he generously filled. Ringo took a large swig of his drink before George came to sit beside him. 

"Who's gonna call?" George asked, taking a similarly large gulp.

"I suppose it'll be me, as always." Paul rolled his eyes humorously.

"It's only cause you've got such a way with words, Paulie." John batted his eyelashes playfully and Paul responded by giving him a short kiss on the lips.

Paul stood up then, finishing his drink in one motion before searching for the telephone. John put his legs up on the table as he drank, Ringo had never seen him look more relaxed.

"Now, let me get a proper look at you." George said, turning his body to face Ringo.

George gently brushed Ringo's hair away from his face and placed a hand on Ringo's cheek to inspect his injuries. His nose had taken a nasty knock, it had been bleeding before but it had stopped now, his lip was cut and his cheeks bruised but that was about it. Ringo imagined it looked nowhere near as bad as it felt. George's hands moved down then and began undoing Ringo's tie.

"May I?" George asked somewhat sarcastically.

Ringo glanced over to John who just called out "Don't mind me."

Ringo nodded and George gently began taking off Ringo's jacket, tie and shirt. Underneath an array of bruises were revealed, mostly on his stomach and George frowned as he looked at them.

"Those bastards." He growled, running his fingers gently over Ringo's skin "I'm so sorry, love."

"Better than a bullet in the brain, I suppose." Ringo smiled, though he was a little worried by the sight of the bruises.

"Do you want me to run you a bath?" George asked gently, carefully putting Ringo's shirt back on for him.

"Only if you'll join me." Ringo said sweetly, he didn't want it to sound sexual even if it wasn't a completely innocent request, he just didn't really want to be alone right now.

"God, Ringo, you narrowly escape death and your first thought is getting your rocks off?" John laughed "Maybe we're more alike than I thought."

"Oh, shut up." Ringo chuckled "It's not like _that_ , not completely anyway."

George stood up then, rubbing Ringo's cheeky softy as he did "I best get the bath running, then."

"It's the least you can do really, after getting me kidnapped and mercilessly beaten." Ringo feigned being upset, turning his head dramatically away from George.

"Don't you worry, I'll find some way to make it up to you." George winked before heading off to the bathroom.

Ringo just laughed to himself as he settled into the sofa once again, stretching out his aching legs. He took hold of his glass once again, signalling a cheers to John before they both took another hearty sip. 

"I suppose you're one of us now." John said, Ringo had never heard his voice so plain before.

"How do you mean?"

"Well, the man upstairs is gonna wanna speak to you. I wouldn't be surprised if he let you in on the whole thing."

"Oh, really? I dunno if I'm cut out for all that."

"Don't be so modest. Any sane person would've run out of that club the first chance they got, but you _stayed_. You stayed for George, even when you _knew_ it'd put you in danger." John spoke somewhat quietly, as if it was a secret "Sounds to me like you might be perfect for it."

There was a glimmer in his eye and Ringo wasn't sure what to think, maybe it was just the alcohol and adrenaline talking "Think I'll stick to my drumming for now."

"Who says you can't do both?" John smiled at him "I just wanna prepare you in case it gets brought up, he can be very convincing. And when he sees how much you mean to George, he's gonna want you to be part of the family."

"Sounds a bit like a cult." Ringo joked.

"Suppose it is, in a way. Except you get paid a fuck ton of money to do almost nothing and the police are always after you. It's just like being in politics." John beamed, Ringo laughed and wondered if he used that joke a lot.

"Maybe I'll give it some thought." Ringo said quietly.

George returned from the bathroom now, his jacket had been taken off and his sleeves rolled up "Ready?" He asked, he looked quite excited.

"After you, my love." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> once again im having a bit of writers block so any suggestions are more than welcome :)


	18. Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ringo meets the head of the family, Brian.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wanna give a big thank you to A1388MP (tell me your name so i can thank you properly!) for their wonderful suggestion for the plot! everyone else has been a massive help too so please don't hesitate to let me know if you've got any ideas

Ringo had experienced nerves like no other when Paul had announced that their boss had wanted to see him. He'd managed to overcome his anxiety about the whole kidnapping and witnessing murder somewhat while relaxing in the bath with George, but before his hair even had time to dry he had another obstacle to overcome.

"But what does he want with _me_?" Ringo asked, sitting on the sofa in one of George's bathrobes and a towel in hand.

"He didn't really say, but he probably just wants to ask you a few questions about the whole thing." Paul made it sound like it was no big deal.

"There's no need to be nervous, love, we'll all be there with you." George said reassuringly, looking sinfully alluring with a loose towel wrapped around his waist.

"And Brian's a softy really." John smiled, he seemed to be taking a lot of pleasure from this whole thing.

"Wouldn't really expect the leader of a crime family to be a 'softy'." Ringo chuckled.

"Well that's only if you're on his good side." Paul explained "He's got a head for business, most of the time, so I wouldn't underestimate him." 

"Guess I don't really have a choice, do I?" Ringo smiled weakly.

"Not really, no." John laughed.

"Just get some rest, me and John will wake you up in the morning and we'll head off." Paul had a strange ability to always calm Ringo "So we best be off to bed."

John sighed dramatically like a child before getting up on his feet, finishing his drink with ease and leaving the glass on the table "Before I forget to tell you, Ringo, your drumming tonight was pretty fantastic."

Ringo smiled "Oh, really? Thanks..."

"Don't blame me if I'm not at The Babylon for a while though, I can only stomach so many rescue missions at once." John grinned.

Then Paul and John were heading out of George's flat, saying their happy goodbyes to both George and Ringo before finally it was the two of them alone again. Ringo let out a huff as he sunk further into the sofa, as much as the bath had made him feel a fraction better he was still aching painfully. George leaned back where he sat, pulling up Ringo's legs to lie over his lap.

"How you feeling?" George asked softly, running his fingers over Ringo's bare leg.

"Better than I was, I suppose." Ringo gave a small smile "The whole thing doesn't feel real."

"I know what you mean... I just wish you didn't have to see me like that."

"I'm not gonna lie, it was pretty freaky. I've never seen anybody die before, George, and the first time I do my boyfriend is the one doing the killing."

"Boyfriend?" George wiggled his eyebrows.

"Don't change the subject."

"Fine, fine, sorry."

"But at the end of the day I knew you were involved in this kind of thing, so I can't hold it against you or anything. And its not like you're some rampaging serial killer, as far as I know at least."

"No, of course not. Its not like I _enjoy_ it, none of us do really. But if you're gonna be in a job like this, you've gotta be prepared for somebody to come after you, or someone you care about, and nobody in their right mind would ever let that happen without putting up a fight. Just so happens that it happens quite frequently for someone like me."

"Well it all sounds very normal when you put it _like that_."

There was a pause, both men smiling at one another.

"If we're done talking about that, can I go back to that 'boyfriend' moment?" George teased, causing Ringo to kick him playfully.

"Oh shut up, it just slipped out!" Ringo felt his cheeks burning slightly.

"Not the first time I've heard you say that." George grinned, he moved Ringo's legs off him gently and crawled up so that they could lie next to one another.

"Gross." Ringo laughed, shifting so that George could lie beside him.

"So am I your boyfriend, then?" His voice was quiet now with their faces so close together.

"Well there isn't anyone else buying me rings, getting me jobs and killing gangsters for me, is there?" 

"I bloody hope not."

Ringo paused, looking up at George's beautiful face then smiled "I suppose you must be then."

"About time." George smiled, his tongue pushing past his teeth as he laughed.

"And what was stopping you from asking me, huh?"

"I just didn't wanna rush you, that's all." George took Ringo's hand in his own.

They lay like that for a while, George laying on his side and Ringo on his back. They shared small kisses and held hands, just relaxing into one another as the minutes passed by. Ringo began to feel drowsy, especially with George's body pressed up against his and keeping him warm, so after a while they retired to George's bed. Ringo thought he'd struggle to get to sleep considering the absolute chaos he'd experienced that night but he was asleep within minutes with George's arms wrapped around him. His mind was desperate to debate with itself, whether staying with George was the smartest (or most moral) thing for him to do, but the comfort that his now-boyfriend provided him silenced his rapid thoughts. 

The following morning Paul and John knocked on George's door to wake them up, as Paul had said he would. Ringo was the first to wake and sluggishly crawled out of bed to let them in; Paul was bright-eyed and ready to leave but John looked half-awake. Paul hurried into George's room to wake him up, pulling the covers from him and shouting his name loudly before he finally stirred. Ringo found that George could sleep for hours on end and would still never wake up willingly, he wondered if he'd sleep all day if he was allowed to.

"Get up and get dressed you lazy git." Paul chuckled, finding a suit in George's wardrobe and tossing it onto his partially unconscious friend.

George mumbled something in protest but managed to get himself up. Ringo brewed tea for the four of them which they all drank happily but they each refused breakfast. After 10 minutes or so they were all dressed and ready to head out, Ringo was a little embarrassed to be wearing his clothes from last night which were not only bright pink but also incredibly scruffy.

"He won't mind, really." George smiled as he watched Ringo inspecting himself in the mirror "It's better than showing up _without_ a suit, or trying to fit into one of mine."

" _Trying_ to fit?" Ringo scoffed "You calling me fat, George?"

"Course not, but you'll hardly impress Brian in a suit that doesn't fit you."

"But looking like a bruised strawberry will?"

"Just trust me, love, alright?" George planted a kiss on the top of Ringo's head, standing behind him in the mirror.

Ringo sighed and steeled himself for what was to come, he had no idea what to expect but he knew it was going to be a strange experience. The four of them piled into George's car, Ringo sitting beside him with John and Paul in the back, and drove off down the street. Ringo fidgeted in his seat as they drove and every so often George would place his hand on top of Ringo's, trying his best to calm him without taking his eyes off the road. Paul and John sat snug in the backseat, John still waking up as he rested his head on Paul's shoulder. They drove to the outskirts of the city which was littered with grand houses, the likes of which Ringo never thought he'd be setting foot in. George drove up to a tall iron gate which stood between them and a ridiculously lavish house, he rolled down his window to speak into the intercom to announce their arrival. After a minute the gate opened and George parked his car in front of the house, the gates closing behind them and Ringo had a horrible feeling of entrapment. The front door opened and a tall, lean man stepped out to greet them. Paul and John were the first ones out of the car and happily hurried over to greet the man. George gave Ringo's hand a final squeeze.

"Don't be nervous, Ringo. I'll be right there with you." George said softly.

"Promise?" 

"I promise."

Ringo and George stepped out of the car then, the cleaner air of the country a welcome change to Ringo. They walked over to where Paul and John were already in deep conversation with this man, but he immediately stopped talking when he caught sight of Ringo. Ringo got a better look at the man now, and he could see he had very severe cheekbones and slicked back hair; overall he looked very presentable but wasn't unfriendly in any way.

"So, this must be the man of the hour." The man said, he had an extremely posh accent "So great to finally meet you Ringo, I'm George." He held out his hand and Ringo shook it tentatively. 

"Nice to meet you too." Ringo smiled, he could tell immediately that this man was a professional - whatever his job may be.

"Well there's no use in us all standing out in the cold, come on in." He said, walking back into the house and leading the four of them into a lavishly decorated sitting room. "Anyone for a cup of tea?"

"I'm alright, George." Paul said politely, taking a seat on one of the many sofas, the others made noises in agreement.

"I'll just let Brian know you're here, shouldn't be long." He said with another smile, ducking out of the room and closing the door behind him.

"Two Georges? I thought one was bad enough." Ringo said after a silence, causing the four of them to laugh "Who's he then?"

"He's a right legend, George is." John said, helping himself to some of the biscuits that were laid out on the table in front of them.

"He's kind of like our collective dad, if that makes sense." George chuckled "He got us involved in the whole thing years back."

"Even though Brian is the head of it all, George is like _our_ boss. He looks out for us and so forth." Paul explained.

A few minutes passed before the door opened again, George stepped in once more followed by a second man with dark hair and kind eyes, who Ringo could only assume was Brian. He had round features and a gentle smile, quite the opposite of the George stood beside him. Paul stood up when they entered the room, the other three of them following suit.

"Oh sit, sit." The man said, he too had a posh voice, and all of them except Ringo sat back down.

He approached Ringo immediately, a happy look across his face, as he held out his hand for Ringo to shake which he did as professionally as he could manage.

"So you're Ringo, then?" He said "And these are the famous rings?" He turned his hand so that Ringo's was more visible to him so he could inspect the three rings on his fingers.

Ringo chuckled awkwardly, when they'd said he was 'a softy' he certainly wasn't expecting this "And you must be Brian." He said, a grin on his face.

"The very same." Brian said, letting go of Ringo's hand and taking a seat close to them "Now you're naturally wondering why I've asked you here, aren't you?"

"Maybe a little." Ringo smiled.

"Well I want to start off by apologising on my behalf and on behalf of my entire family for what happened last night. The last thing I ever want is innocent people getting mixed up in our business, so I hope you can accept my apology." He leaned back in the chair comfortably, and while he didn't look threatening he had a commanding presence about him.

"No, no, it's fine. Luckily nobody got seriously hurt, well apart from..." Ringo's voice trailed off as his brain flashed the images of the dead bodies into his mind.

"Oh, they're a rotten sort that Chapman lot. Of course we _never_ want anybody to get hurt, but its an unavoidable eventuality sometimes." He smiled warmly "And I don't expect that this is the end of this terrible ordeal, which is the reason why I've asked you here today. You see, I understand that yourself and George have a very close relationship and that's _wonderful_ , of course, but it does unfortunately put you somewhat at risk. In my position there isn't much I can do about it because you aren't employed by me, but that's an error I can easily correct."

Ringo gulped "What do you mean by employed? Because I- I don't want to be rude or anything, but I'm not a very violent person and I don't think I could do the things that these three do."

"No, no, of course not." Brian's smile hadn't faltered "I wouldn't dream of such a thing. There are many areas that I cover, many of which don't involve any violence at all. This is simply a way for me to place you under the protection of our family, and also shows me that I can trust you. No doubt you've learned a lot of sensitive information during your time with George that could be used against us, so you can understand why employing you would be a comfort to me."

"I would never-" Ringo began.

"Don't worry Ringo, I'm not suggesting that you would ever betray George like that, but there are a lot of people out there who would do terrible things to get that information or to get access to you and your influence. All I'm proposing to you today is whether you would like to become a member of this organisation; you will be able to continue your job at The Babylon as normal, but there may be times in which I require your services. Do you understand?" Brian spoke clearly.

"Er, partly, yes. What exactly would I be _doing_?" Ringo felt like he wasn't understanding through a fault of his own, but he also wondered whether Brian was speaking like this intentionally.

"Well you have your advantages because you're mostly unknown, meaning no offence. There are times in which we might need information gathered, and your occupation as a musician means you may be able to infiltrate spaces that we wouldn't. Certainly your safety will always be considered, I wouldn't dream of getting you hurt like that again. The choice is entirely up to you, but I urge you to see the benefits." Brian crossed one leg over the other.

"So I wouldn't necessarily be doing anything illegal?" Ringo asked.

"Your actions themselves might not be incriminating, but being associated with a crime syndicate is _very illegal_ , I'm afraid." 

"Oh..." Ringo's voice trailed off once more and he looked over at George for encouragement but Brian spoke again.

"I don't mean to intrude, Ringo, but I wouldn't use the law strictly as a moral compass. After all, your relationship with George is illegal in this country and do you believe it to be immoral?" Brian's tone changed now.

"No, of course not." Ringo said sternly, unconsciously taking George's hand in his own.

"Precisely my point. We aren't bad people, while the law would tell you otherwise. I had to learn the hard way that the law isn't always on your side, and sometimes to do what's truly right you must break it. Does that help you in any way?"

"I'm just a little hesitant, is all. But you're saying I can carry on with my drumming, and I'd never be doing anything truly dangerous?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Certainly your association with George will still carry as much danger as it had before, but you would now have the protection of the rest of the family."

"Well it all sounds very simple put like that." Ringo chuckled quietly.

"It's a job opportunity at the end of the day, granted its an unusual one. You would be handsomely rewarded for your services, of course, and you'd never be obliged to do anything you didn't want to. So what do you say?" Brian's gaze hadn't moved from Ringo this entire time but it didn't scare Ringo, if anything it comforted him.

"I'll do it." Ringo said plainly, he felt George grip his hand tighter upon his words and he saw John grinning out of the corner of his eye.

"Excellent! You won't regret it, Ringo, I promise you that." Brian sprung up from his chair now joyfully "Now, I'll place you under the care of the lovely George Martin, so if you have any issues or questions please direct them to him."

"All I ask is that you don't call me in the middle of the night because you're too drunk to drive home." George said playfully, passing a stern glare to John "I'm not a taxi service, am I boys?"

"No." The three others said in unison which made Ringo and Brian laugh.

"Right, well I best be getting back to business. This whole Chapman mess is very time-consuming, as I'm sure you can imagine. Now you boys need to get home and get some rest, _alright_?" Brian looked at them all with a smile on his face then turned back to Ringo "In a couple of days or so we should have some accommodation sorted for you, we'll let you know when it's ready."

"Accommodation?" Ringo asked dumbfounded.

"Of course." Brian laughed "We can't have you living too far away now, can we?" He turned to George who was standing by the window "There's an unoccupied flat on the boys' floor isn't there, George?"

"As far I'm aware, yes." George said, he was holding his hands behind his back.

"Perfect! Well I'll make the arrangements at some point today." Brian shook Ringo's hand again "It's been grand meeting you, I'm sorry it has to be so brief."

He started heading out of the room then, George Martin opening the door for him, but he paused before vanishing entirely and called out.

"Welcome to the family, Ringo." He said with a laugh before both himself and George walked out of the room.

As soon as the door was closed, John pounced onto Ringo from the opposite sofa laughing. Paul and George soon joined in on this strange combination of wrestling and hugging.

"Welcome to the family Ringo!" The three of them shouted in chorus, laughing all the while.

The whole thing still felt like a strange dream; two months ago if Ringo could somehow look into the future and saw himself in a bright, pink suit in a lavish house being almost suffocated by three gay gangsters he would've been sure he was going crazy. Yet here he was, in that exact situation, feeling like this life couldn't be going in a better direction. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> brian epstein said: be gay, do crime
> 
> i apologise if my characterisation of Brian and George isn't great im not too familiar with them but itd be a missed opportunity to leave them out
> 
> i hope you guys are still enjoying and are staying happy in these scary times!


	19. Out On The Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys all go out for dinner to celebrate Ringo's induction into the family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you guys are still reading at this point i just wanna say a huge thank you! writing this fic has been so fun and a great outlet when im stuck in the house 24/7 so i just hope youre enjoying reading it as much as i am writing it :) 
> 
> i just wanted to write a nice happy chapter of the boys having fun cause they're the epitome of 'boys will be boys' sorry not a lot happens but i just wanted to get something out!

"I think this calls for a celebration!" Paul shouted excitedly when they left the house and climbed back into George's car.

The excitement of the whole ordeal was still rushing through Ringo, his heart beating faster than normal and his fingers were itching for a cigarette. George held his hand tightly as they sat in the front, both of them with ridiculously large grins on their faces.

"What did you have in mind?" John asked, he seemed the most excited out of all of them.

"I say we head out for a real fab dinner, proper fancy like, since we're all big spenders now, eh Ringo?" Paul winked at him when he turned round with a smile "Then head out to the clubs, get borderline unconscious and see where the night takes us." 

"Well you know I can't say no to that." John said with a grin.

"Not to put a downer on things, but can we at least get some sleep first?" George asked as he drove the car back onto the street "I'm still pretty knackered from last night."

"Sure, _that's_ the reason you need to rush Ringo back to bed." John giggled like a child.

"I'm too tired even for _that_." George laughed.

"Poor Ringo, after all he's done for you." John frowned dramatically which made Ringo laugh.

"I dunno, I'm family now so isn't that technically incest?" Ringo joked.

"Ew, don't put it like that, _please_." George mimed throwing up.

"George you can't go around calling people 'daddy' then complaining about incest." Paul smirked, earning a proud look from John.

"Daddy?" Ringo asked surprised with a grin on his face, George was turning bright red.

"Wow, thanks for that Paul. _Really_ appreciate it." George kept his focus on the road but the blush in his face wouldn't die down, yet he was still smiling.

"Uh oh, did Paulie say something amiss?" John smiled "Can't believe you haven't broken that one out yet, George."

"Remind me why I'm friends with you two again?" George couldn't look at Ringo in this moment.

"Because if you weren't we'd go airing your dirty laundry around." Paul laughed "And we've got _baskets_ full."

"Who knows - maybe tonight's the night!" John was almost in stitches.

"No need to be embarrassed, George." Ringo teased, nudging his boyfriend playfully who finally turned to him with a smile.

"It's not _like that_ with me and Ringo, alright? If you _must_ know." George was trying to sound serious but John's laughter was too contagious.

"No way..." Paul gasped "You're telling me-"

"George, my boy, you're all grown up!" John cackled "Never thought I'd see the day."

"Fuck off the both of you." George glared.

"Sounds like you're doing all the fucking!" John was rolling around with laughter.

"Who could've guessed?" Paul had tears forming in his eyes.

"Come on now, lads, that's enough of that." Ringo said somewhat sternly but his tone was light "I'm sure George has got some right nasty stories about you two that he's trying very hard not to blurt out right now."

"I've got nothing to hide." John said with a smirk.

"We both know that's not true, Lennon." George smirked at him in the rear-view mirror.

"I don't like where this is headed." Paul said.

"Shoes on the other foot now, eh Paul?" Ringo chuckled.

"No, no I wouldn't dare." George held his nose up dramatically to feign his moral superiority "Our friendship is just too important to me."

"If you call what we did 'friendship' then Ringo must be getting a real lavish treatment." John giggled again.

"I won't deny it." Ringo smiled.

"Alright, alright, let's lay off now." Paul sat up straight "There'll be plenty of time for us to humiliate each other at dinner."

"Oh good, I'll make a list." John joked.

"You do that Johnny boy." George smirked.

There was a pause before Ringo spoke "This isn't gonna end in a big orgy is it?"

The whole car burst into laughter then, Ringo included.

"Not unless you ask nicely, Ringo." John wiggled his eyebrows playfully.

"In your dreams." George said, Ringo wondered how he was able to still drive with all this chaos going on.

The drive back to George's continued in this manner, the four of them joking and laughing with one another with Paul or Ringo eventually having to step in before it went too far. Ringo was surprised with how normal the conversation felt to him, with the three of them talking and joking openly about their sexual experiences. Granted, he'd spoke to his mates about girls he'd slept with but it was always somewhat awkward and a desperate show of masculinity. Now, Ringo felt completely at ease hearing in excruciating detail how John lost his virginity, or how George got cramp during his first time and almost cried in embarrassment. Even if the aspect of George having his first sexual experiences with his two closest friends was strange at first to Ringo, now he saw no issue with it as it was clear that Paul and John loved each other very much and that George had eyes for nobody but him.

When they finally arrived back at George's, they all had tears in their eyes from laughing so much. They all clambered out of the car still in hysterics and haphazardly greeted the doorman on their way in. Into the lift they all squeezed, John resting his head on Paul's shoulder as he fought off sleep. Ringo couldn't wipe the smile off his face, his cheeks and stomach hurt from all the laughing. The familiarity of George's flat was very welcome and they all collapsed comfortably onto various pieces of furniture; Ringo thought about how he'd likely be spending all of his time here now, with these three, if he was going to be living on their floor and he couldn't think of anything he'd rather do.

"Where are we gonna eat tonight?" George asked, taking off his jacket and tossing it lazily onto the floor.

"Maybe Ringo should choose." Paul suggested, he was sitting in John's lap when all eyes turned to Ringo.

"Oh... I dunno. I don't really know any fancy places." Ringo said sheepishly.

"Who says it has to be fancy?" George asked, he was lying across Ringo's lap.

"Why don't we go back to your old workplace, that could be funny." John smiled mischievously.

"Oh God, I thought we didn't have to go there anymore since George stopped stalking Ringo." Paul chuckled.

"Who says I stopped?" George winked which made Ringo nudge him with his knee.

"I don't think I'll be going back there any time soon." Ringo said somewhat quietly "My work 'mate' threatened to call the cops on me."

"What for?" John laughed, he was playing with Paul's hair gently.

"What do you think?" Ringo asked, gesturing to the slim boy laying in his lap.

"No... Really?" George sounding partly offended and partly angry.

"That seems all the more reason to go." John said, he had a stern look on his face "Teach that fucker a lesson."

"Come on now, John, how's that gonna help?" Paul asked soothingly, Ringo never thought he'd seen him looking more comfortable than sitting with John as he did now.

"I never said it would help." John snickered.

"I wouldn't mind kicking the shit out of him, but that's just me." George said.

"No, no, we can't." Ringo tried not to sound desperate "He's harmless anyway, just a hollow threat."

"If you're sure." George said taking hold of Ringo's hand "But I'm sure me and John would jump at the opportunity to beat him up, wouldn't we John?"

"It'd be my pleasure." John grinned.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Ringo joked "But anyway let's just focus on having a good time tonight."

"Can we decide on somewhere to go then? I swear its impossible making a plan with you lot." Paul scoffed playfully.

"You just pick Paul, that's what always ends up happening anyway." George said with a smile.

"Only because you guys are so _impossible_." Paul folded his arms dramatically.

"Let's just go somewhere with good food and cheaper drinks." John suggested "We're probably gonna end up throwing our dinner up anyway, does it really matter where we go?"

"Good point." Ringo laughed.

After a little while John and Paul finally retired to bed, not without a stern warning from Paul that they had to be awake by 7 'or else'. George lay in Ringo's lap happily, allowing his hair to be played with while he allowed sleep to slowly overcome him. Ringo felt completely at peace like this, very thankful that he didn't have to work until tomorrow evening and while his brain wanted to shift into panic mode: to think about all the things wrong with accepting Brian's offer, with all the things that could go wrong the next time he went to work, but his happiness was just too powerful to overcome. Ringo noticed George slowly slipping into sleep so happily carried him to bed, he noticed him stirring awake at points but George just welcomed the gesture. Ringo drew George's bedroom curtains closed and slipped of George's shoes and belt, just as he had all that time ago when he first stayed the night here, and similarly stripped his clothes off onto the floor before climbing into bed. The softness of the sheets sent a smile across Ringo's face as he cuddled up to his boyfriend, wrapping his arms around him and resting his head on his shoulder as he too fell asleep.

Ringo had no idea how they managed to sleep that long but before he had already really noticed that he was falling asleep, he was being awoken again by some banging on George's bedroom door. Ringo shot up in alarm, George just groaning sleepily beside him, but relaxed immediately when he heard Paul's voice shouting from the other side.

"I'm coming in, you two better not be fucking!" Paul called, opening the door slowly.

John burst in the room without a care, causing Paul to roll his eyes "Aw, that's boring. I was hoping to catch something juicy."

"Fuck off John." George mumbled, still lying on his side with the covers pulled up over his shoulders.

"You should really lock your door George." Paul tutted, walking over to the curtains and pulling them open harshly. "You guys have been asleep for like 10 hours, you know that right?"

"Jesus, really?" Ringo asked with a laugh, he was holding the cover over his chest as casually as he could.

"Let me sleep!" George shouted weakly, his eyes still not open.

Ringo rocked him somewhat roughly "Come on, get up now."

John made his way over to the bed, jumping down into the centre "Room for one more?" He asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows, making his way between the two of them.

As soon as George felt John brush against him he shot up "Fine, fine, I'm up!" He rolled out of bed sluggishly, rubbing his eye and stretching with his other arm.

"Spoil sport." John stuck his tongue out at George then slipped underneath the covers to take George's place.

" _No_ , come on John, I'm not spending another half an hour trying to get you out of bed." Paul signalled with his hand and John reluctantly got back up to his feet.

"Now clear off you two, we need to get dressed." George said, already undoing his shirt.

"Oh _sorry_ , didn't realise you'd become so Catholic." John chuckled but headed out of the room nonetheless.

"10 minutes, no longer, alright?" Paul said sternly as he closed the bedroom door.

"Yes mother!" George called out with a laugh then turned to Ringo "Sorry about them."

Ringo finally got out of bed, feeling a little cold just in his boxers, and began to rifle through George's wardrobe to find some of his casual clothes "No, it's fine, I'm just still not used to John's..."

"Sluttiness?" George joked "He's just having you on, it doesn't mean anything. Well, unless you _want_ it to mean something."

"Really?" Ringo asked surprised, he'd found one his dark blue jumpers at the bottom of the wardrobe and tossed it onto the bed "Is Paul alright with that?"

"He's not fussed really, he knows John will never replace him." George walked up beside Ringo to find something to wear for himself "But every so often they might bring someone else to bed, for a laugh usually. John's always the one to initiate it, but Paul has to approve o'course."

"Weird." Was all Ringo could think to say, finding a pair of trousers and sloppily getting dressed. 

"If it bothers you though, I can say something to John and he'll lay off." George was in nothing but his boxers now and the sight made Ringo freeze for a moment.

"No it doesn't _bother_ me. I just didn't know if he was serious or not." Ringo couldn't keep his eyes off George while he tried to put his jumper on.

"Fair enough." George smiled at the sight of Ringo with flushed cheeks "John's just got a lot of love, you know? He's gotta share it around somehow."

Ringo managed to bring his attention away from George's gorgeous body long enough so that he could dress himself, he evaluated himself in the mirror and decided he looked good enough. It was always refreshing to see George out of a suit, as much as he did look good in them, as he was now wearing a turtleneck which accentuated his strong jaw perfectly. Ringo had always thought George was attractive, even if it he couldn't admit it the first time he saw him, but the more he spent time with him the more George just looked even more beautiful; it was a strange phenomenon, because Ringo thought George couldn't get any more attractive.

"How do I look?" George asked with a grin, meeting Ringo's prolonged gaze.

"Gorgeous." Ringo smiled back.

They headed out of the room to find John and Paul sharing a heated kiss on the sofa, George just coughed awkwardly to pull them away from each other. Without any more delay they headed down to the lobby and into the darkening evening. Paul insisted that they walked because he didn't trust John to not get ridiculously drunk yet manage to convince the rest of them that he was sober enough to drive them home.

"It's not my fault you always believe me." John laughed "You're supposed to be the responsible one, not me."

"I _know_ , that's why I'm removing the car from the equation entirely." Paul explained.

Paul had decided on what he described as a 'semi-fancy' place for them to eat which Ringo couldn't really decipher. They ended up at what Ringo could only conclude was a _very_ fancy place, at least by his standards, and they got in without any trouble despite the long queue waiting outside.

"Do you even bother making a reservation?" Ringo asked with a chuckle, trying to block out the complaints the people in the queue were making.

"Of course, we're not _animals_." Paul laughed "Well, _I'm_ not anyway."

They were seated at a far corner in the restaurant, the waiter seemed very happy to see them, and headed off to fetch them a bottle of wine which John asked for before even sitting down. They sat in a booth which faced the band, currently a fairly attractive woman was singing quite emotionally, with John and George sat on the outside. Ringo was once again intimidated by the menu, as he always was, and looked over at George for some guidance. While Ringo was getting more used to being in such upscale places he still wasn't surely whether he particularly _liked_ them, nor did he think the rest of them did, and he always wondered why they always ended up in such places. The waiter returned with a bottle of wine and four glasses, John didn't even bother pretending to read the bottle to see if it was 'acceptable' or not and just drank it.

"Keep 'em coming." John said with a wink to the waiter who just nodded stiffly.

They ordered their food and began what Ringo imagined was going to be a long night of drinking. It didn't take too long for the food to arrive and they all dug in without much conversation, Ringo was absolutely starving considering he hadn't eaten all day. They got through two bottles of wine easily before they even finished their meals. The music switched up for a jazz band which Ringo greatly appreciated, he began singing along to some of the songs without noticing.

"I just realised, this is the first time we've been out as two proper couples." Paul smiled with his wine glass in hand.

"Wow, word gets around fast." Ringo chuckled, passing a joking look to George who just smiled at him.

"In all seriousness though, I'm really glad you two ended up together. Back a day when we used to get lunch at your place I worried it wasn't gonna work out." Paul paused to take a sip.

"Why's that?" Ringo asked.

"Honestly, I didn't think you were gay." Paul laughed.

"Well I wasn't _technically_." Ringo smiled shyly which made John laugh.

"How can you not be gay _technically_?" John giggled "Were you only gay philosophically? How about metaphorically?"

"I just didn't know I suppose." Ringo shrugged his shoulders.

"Suppose I just have that effect on people." George grinned devilishly, putting his arm around Ringo's shoulder.

"Must be true after all, it's _contagious_." John laughed.

"Well the cycle's ended now at least, unless Ringo goes passing it along." Paul winked and nudged Ringo playfully.

"Hey now, _we're_ not like you two." George said rather defensively "All we need is each other."

"No need to get uppity George, just a joke." Paul said with a smug smile.

"And you didn't seem to be complaining about our _generosity_ before Ringo came along." John smirked.

"Whatever." George took a sip from his wine.

If this conversation was happening between anyone else, although Ringo couldn't imagine who else would be having a conversation like _this_ , he would've thought they were actually trying to upset one another but with these three he knew it was all done lovingly.

"You guys sure to do talk about sex a lot." Ringo said with his mouth full of food.

"Well you can only talk about the weather for so long." John quipped back quickly which made them all laugh.

After a ridiculous amount of wine, they finally got through their dessert and asked for the bill. Ringo wasn't sure whether he was drunk or not but as soon as he stood up he knew that he certainly was. He held onto to George's arm as they walked out of the restaurant partly for support but mostly because he just wanted to touch him. Ringo had a feeling he'd drank more than anyone else but once John burst out into song in the street he wasn't sure anymore. They drunkenly shuffled down the streets before they came to a club, it was one they'd never been to before - at least not with Ringo - and it was clean looking enough. From outside Ringo could already hear the music, although it was pretty muffled by the bricks and his alcohol intake. It was rock and roll music which made all of the boys very happy, especially John, and they made their way to the dance floor immediately.

After dancing for a while they retreated to the bar where they each ordered a drink. Ringo had offered to pay for everyone, considering he'd be coming into more money than he'd ever had before very soon, but they politely refused and somehow they ended up paying for Ringo's drink instead. With a drink in hand Ringo turned his back to the bar and looked out at the club and came to a realisation.

"Where's all the girls?" He asked George, having to lean in and shout over the music.

"Bored of me already are you?" George grinned but when he saw Ringo's vacant expression he felt he had to explain "This isn't the type of club girls are particularly interested in going to."

Ringo wasn't sure if it was his own fault for not understanding George, but his words almost sounded like another language "Huh?" He shouted back which made George laugh.

"It's a _men's only_ club, if you catch my drift." George leaned in closer to Ringo's ear.

"Really?" Ringo said after a pause "I didn't know there were any."

"Ringo, love, there's _a lot_ you don't know." George bit Ringo's earlobe playfully before pulling away to take a sip of his drink.

Paul and John had vanished off somewhere after they got their drinks and Ringo hadn't noticed their absence until now. He looked at the groups of men dancing here, and he found himself thinking how _normal_ they all looked. Well why shouldn't they look normal, Ringo asked himself, he looked normal - or at least he liked to think he did.

"Isn't it illegal?" Ringo asked, thinking aloud more than speaking directly to George.

"Of course it is, but who's gonna do anything?" George was leading them back to the dance floor now "Brian makes sure the police stay away from the place, so anything goes really."

"That's nice of him." Ringo smiled thinking about Brian, how kind he'd been during their first meeting.

The two of them finished their drinks quickly, making Ringo shudder at the strong taste, before they began dancing again. Ringo hadn't felt this drunk in a long time, but he wasn't complaining and just allowed himself to mellow out. After a while, Ringo had no idea how long, John and Paul resurfaced and began dancing with them. Both of them looked fairly flushed, with Paul's lips plump and John's hair ruffled with a very satisfied grin on his face.

"Really, you couldn't wait until you got home?" George asked with a smirk.

"You try resisting him." John nudged Paul lovingly who gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.

"I wasn't hearing any complaints." Paul said proudly.

Ringo just laughed, he was never really sure how to respond when their conversations got like this, the three of them joking back and forth at lightning speed without any time to even think. 

"Geez Ringo, you look _pissed_." John chuckled, lowering himself slightly so that they were eye to eye.

"I'll level with you John, I _feel_ pissed." Ringo grinned stupidly.

John put his arm around Ringo's shoulder and hugged him into his side "You're a right sort, Ringo. Glad George picked you up when he did."

"Thank you." Ringo slurred out, looking at George hazily who was looking right at him happily.

They danced for a while longer before heading back to the bar, this time getting two more drinks each. George quickly headed off to the bathroom and in his absence another man took his place, between Ringo and John. Ringo didn't even notice he was there, he hadn't even really realised George had gone, before he felt a hand on his shoulder. 

"Do I know you from somewhere?" The man asked, he was blonde and rather short.

"Maybe." Ringo said with a lazy smile. "I don't know you though."

"Well I'm sure we can fix that." The man purred, moving in closer to Ringo.

Ringo stumbled backwards clumsily "Sorry mate I'm not interested."

"No need to be scared, I can show you a good time." The man moved closer again but he was stopped by a hand gripping his shoulder tightly.

It was George, he towered over the man and spun him around with ease so that his back was pushed against the bar "You heard him, _not interested_ , now fuck off." He growled.

"Jesus, sorry. Can't hate a guy for trying." The man said with a weak smile, he wasn't hiding how scared he was of George very well, before he hurried away into the crowd.

"You alright?" George asked with a serious expression, Ringo was still processing what was happening.

"Yeah fine... Was he hitting on me?" Ringo asked and George couldn't help laughing.

"God, you _are_ pissed, aren't you?"

"Sure am, you better catch up."

Ringo raised his eyebrow and offered his drink to George who took it gladly and downed it with ease. He slammed the empty cup down on the bar and scrunched up his face as the alcohol went down his throat which made John jump. 

"Blimey, when did you get back?" John asked, he'd ordered a third drink.

"Oh just after some bloke tried it on with Ringo, thanks for helping by the way." George smiled sarcastically.

"George, I'm gonna be real with you, I don't really have _any idea_ what's going on. So I'd appreciate it if you stopped expecting me to notice things." John slurred, Paul just looked at him and rolled his eyes.

"What are they like, honestly?" Paul said shaking his head.

"Paul _you_ can't talk when you're giving blowies in the toilet first chance you get." George laughed as Ringo offered him his second drink.

"Hey now, I do that when I'm sober, thank you _very_ much." Paul retorted with a drink in hand.

They stayed at the bar for a while, Ringo wasn't even sure who was paying for the drinks at this point but he was hoping that's why his money had mysteriously disappeared from his pocket. It didn't take too long before they were all stumbling around, when they tried to dance they kept knocking into people and at one point it looked like John was going to start a fight. The man who was flirting with Ringo reappeared at a point but George only had to look at him before he vanished once again. Ringo danced with everyone individually at different points in the night: when he was with George it was bordering on obscene with how they pressed their bodies against each other, with Paul Ringo felt very happy as they were spinning each other around sloppily, and with John it was the most ridiculous as they were by far the most drunk of the group as they were trying to dip one another or climb on the other's shoulders. After yet another failed attempt of Ringo trying to climb onto John they all decided to head outside for a smoke. Ringo worried that the cold air was going to sober him up but it just made him feel even drunker. He wasn't sure how late it was but he was just hoping the club wasn't going to close anytime soon.

"How's your first gay club treating you then, Ringo?" Paul asked as he lit his cigarette.

"I haven't noticed a difference, but that might be because I'm very, very drunk." Ringo leaned up against the wall as he smoked.

"I thought John was bad, but Jesus, Ringo you can really throw them back." George said, he was standing close beside him.

"Thank you very much." Ringo grinned.

"Here's hoping you can make it to work tomorrow." Paul smirked.

"Here's hoping he can make it _home_ , more like." George chuckled.

"No, Ringo's not gonna miss an opportunity to sleep on George's sofa, are you lad?" John was currently swaying from side to side.

"I'll probably pass out before I even get my clothes off." Ringo laughed, he was just staring at the floor.

"John knows all about that one." Paul said "Once he offered to suck me off and then he fell asleep halfway."

Ringo burst into laughter hearing this which made George laugh too. John looked offended at first but couldn't help laughing with the rest of them. After they finished their cigarettes they headed back into the club, which had now significantly emptied. Ringo felt a pang of sadness in his chest at the thought of having to go home, for the night to be over, but he had a feeling that the closing of the club wasn't really going to put an end to things.

George pulled Ringo enthusiastically to dance but once they stopped in place, he pulled him in for a kiss instead. Ringo felt his head swimming as George pressed his lips up against his own, he tasted strongly of smoke and alcohol which normally would make Ringo feel sick but he just loved the taste of George. It felt like they were kissing forever, George's hand lowering down to Ringo's back, and Ringo grabbing a handful of George's hair. Eventually they pulled away from each other but Ringo couldn't help wanting more, and he felt determined to stay awake as long as possible so that he didn't risk repeating John's mistake. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> every time i have an idea what to write about i end up writing the whole chapter just leading up to the event rather than the actual event sorry im just a rambler like that
> 
> im not sure whether to write another chapter of their night out or just carry on with the story (or maybe some raunchy smut who knows) lemme know your thoughts! 
> 
> i could honestly write these boys just having a laugh together FOREVER its just so much fun writing their dialogue 
> 
> thanks so much for reading every comment and kudos is massively appreciated! (im not above begging for validation)


	20. Intoxication

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys try to keep the night going.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just wanna say a huge sorry for not updating this sooner! the days just get away from me during these quarantine days as we all know by now 
> 
> i reckon ive got about 6/7 chapters left before i finally come to an end for this story as much as i love writing it and i dont really have a clear conclusion in mind i know if i dont finish it soon i never will
> 
> drug use warning for this chapter sorry if thats not your gig but hey these boys were a bunch of druggies and i relate to that
> 
> SMUT TOO so warning for that

It wasn't long before the four of them were being ushered out of the club with the rest of the drunkards. They were all laughing as they came back out onto the street, they walked down to the corner and stopped to look around. Nobody really wanted to go home just yet, but it was almost 4 in the morning and there wasn't anywhere else to go.

"What now?" Ringo asked, he was leaning against George for support.

"Bed for you, I think." George chuckled, his arm was wrapped around Ringo's waist.

"Noooo." John slurred out "We can't go home yet, the night's just begun!"

"The _morning's_ just begun, more like." Paul snickered, he was smoking a cigarette.

"Come on, this is meant to be Ringo's celebration! If he doesn't wanna go home, then we're _not_ going home." John protested, but it was difficult to take him seriously when he could hardly keep his eyes open.

"No, no, I don't wanna keep you guys out if you don't want to." Ringo said quickly, looking at George for reassurance.

"I'd love to keep going but I'm pretty knackered, and everywhere's closed." George smiled sweetly.

John chuckled then and managed to stand up straight by holding onto a nearby wall. He dove into his jacket pocket and pulled out a little bag of white powder. 

"I've got something to _perk_ us all up." John wiggled his eyebrows as he waved the bag in front of them.

Ringo gulped, he'd never done hard drugs before. Sure he'd smoked his fair share of grass, but so had _everybody_. Cocaine on the other hand was far removed from Ringo's world, it wasn't even a possibility that he'd come across it in his daily life and even if he bumped into someone who did they weren't keen on sharing. It was expensive, so Ringo figured that's why the rich were the only ones ever doing it. George seemed to sense his hesitation and rubbed his side soothingly.

"I dunno." George said "Ringo's never done it before, I don't wanna corrupt him."

"I think it's too late for that." Paul chuckled, but he didn't look too sure himself.

"It's no big deal, it's not that different to just having a drink." John rummaged around in his pocket for his front door key which he took out and held victoriously.

"What's it like?" Ringo asked in a small voice.

"Like 1000 cups of coffee all at once." John said grandly "But also nothing like that."

"Great, _very_ helpful." Ringo laughed.

"It'll hurt your nose. Unless you wanna gum it, but it tastes _foul_." Paul explained.

John opened up the bag then and piled what Ringo thought was an excessive amount of coke onto his key, he then raised it up to his nose and held one of his nostrils down while he inhaled sharply. John's eyes fluttered shut and he let out a heavy breath, when he opened his eyes again he had a huge grin on his face. He moved to take another bump but Paul interrupted him.

"Hey, now! If you don't start passing that around it'll all be gone." Paul said with a huff as he took the bag and key from John.

Paul then took some for himself before passing it along to George who took even more than John had done, at least by Ringo's reckoning. Ringo couldn't help fixating on George's face and hands and had almost forgotten that it was his turn next and the nervousness began to pick up as George offered it to him with a soft expression.

"You don't have to if you don't want to." George said with a smile, Ringo could notice his pupils dilating.

"Can you- Er, do it for me?" Ringo asked sheepishly.

George obliged and scraped what Ringo thought was a pitiful amount onto the key before holding it up to his nose for him. Ringo repeated what he'd seen the other three doing and felt his eyes fluttering shut. It didn't hurt nearly as much as he'd expected it to but it certainly wasn't a pleasant sensation. When he opened his eyes again he saw George looked at him with a smug expression, his sharp teeth exposed.

"Good?" George asked as he passed it back to John.

Ringo didn't really feel anything just yet, but he had a feeling in his stomach that it would all change quite soon "Good." He simply said in response, he could feel his heart beginning to speed up.

Paul had to wrestle the drugs from John once again and insisted that they kept up a rotation as they worked through the entire bag. Ringo no longer asked George for assistance but still made sure he wasn't taking as much as the rest of them, despite what his brain was telling him to do. As it was passed between them Ringo wasn't really noticing the effect it was having on him, he just knew that he couldn't wait for it to be his turn again, and by the time it had all ran out he was hit with the heavy realisation of it. John's description had been spot on because while it was somewhat like an extremely intensified caffeine hit, there was an entirely new element present which Ringo could only describe as feeling _amazing_. His heart was racing and he felt the intense need to move, to touch, to speak. His muscles were twitching and he kept breathing heavily, running his tongue across his teeth. John mindlessly tossed the empty bag onto the street after mercilessly emptying it and cleaned off the key in his mouth without much thought. They all looked rather crazed and Ringo couldn't help but laughing as they began hurrying down the streets with no real goal in mind.

"There's gotta be _somewhere_ open." John said, Ringo felt like they were all talking ridiculously fast.

"Well there's always somewhere, just not somewhere I really wanna be." Paul chuckled, he looked the most composed of the four of them.

"We could just go back to mine." George couldn't wipe the wolfish grin off his face. "I've got some records we could play."

"I definitely feel like I need to dance." Ringo chuckled.

"To George's we go!" John announced, leading the way immediately.

And so they headed back to the flat, even though there was no urgency they found themselves running down the empty streets as if walking simply wasn't an option. John had got Paul on his back at one point, Ringo wasn't sure when, and as much as Paul protested the whole thing he couldn't stop laughing. Ringo and George held hands as they ran, Ringo felt at times that his heart might explode. At some point John decided it was a grand idea to try and smash a shop window which they all found hilarious, especially when John was rabidly trying to find something to throw at the glass. Somehow they managed to get back to their building in one piece without committing any further crimes; George had suggested they take the stairs instead because it would be 'fun' but even Ringo couldn't be convinced that climbing that many stairs was a particularly good idea. They rushed into the lift and Ringo felt like he was vibrating. 

" _Please_ tell me you've got some stuff at your place, George." John said quickly.

"Think I do somewhere, unless you've knicked it." George responded, he kept running his hands up and down Ringo's back.

"I can't make any promises." John laughed as the lift finally came to a halt.

George desperately rummaged for his key and almost dropped it in his hurry. John rushed past George and began turning the place upside down in the search for more drugs, Ringo found himself getting a little concerned but couldn't deny the itch he had for a little more. George kicked the door shut behind him and dragged Ringo over to the sofa where he immediately locked their lips in an intense kiss. Kissing George always felt good, but _this_ , this was something else. John reemerged victoriously from George's bedroom waving around another bag of white powder and knelt down beside George's glass table. Ringo pulled away from George for a moment to watch John and almost jumped from his seat when he saw John pull out a knife from his jacket.

"No!" Paul shouted "Use a fucking coaster or something, you _maniac_!" 

John rolled his eyes "But _Paulie_ , this looks so much cooler."

George wasn't paying the ordeal any attention, he was busying himself with kissing down Ringo's neck. Ringo felt George's hand running up his leg and everything almost felt like too much, only almost. Paul smacked John on the back of the head with a coaster then passed it to him and John made quick work of dividing the coke into thin lines.

"Who's got a note?" John asked, not looking up from the table.

Paul huffed and took out his wallet, retrieving a bank note that he handed to John which he began to roll up.

"Oi, there'll be plenty of time to suck Ringo's face off after we do this." John said bluntly as George reluctantly pulled his hand away from Ringo's crotch.

Ringo felt like his skin was burning after his contact with George and he began to wonder whether taking more was really a good idea. He watched John hold the rolled up bank note to his nostril and snort up a rather thick line of coke which he'd divided onto the table. 

"Fuck!" John shouted, his head shooting upwards as he passed the note onto Paul.

Paul got to his knees gently, John stood up and began pacing around the room twitching somewhat. George was still kissing Ringo eagerly, but pulled away quickly when Paul called his name to take his turn. Ringo was completely intimidated by the size of the line John had laid out for him, while he was partly grateful that he hadn't intentionally been given less. George snorted it up with no problem, that ever-same grin spreading across his face as he felt it working its way through his body. Ringo shyly came to kneel beside him, Paul had joined John's hunt for a record to put on. Once again George looked at him with kind eyes, even with his pupils so massive he managed to look kind.

"Don't do it all if you don't want to. I won't judge you." George smiled "Might even thank you."

Ringo chuckled nervously and took the note carefully in his shaking hand. He raised himself up on his knees slightly and bent over the final line on the table, he swallowed hard then snorted it up. He almost felt completely backwards as he tried to lower himself back onto his knees but George caught him easily, placing his hand around Ringo's waist again and kissing him deeply. Ringo felt ecstatic with George's hands roaming over his body and tongue pushing into his mouth, he almost didn't hear the sound of a record being played. Ringo pulled George up to his feet clumsily so that they could dance, he could see John and Paul already spinning each other around ridiculously. Ringo imagined that from an outside perspective the four of them would've looked a little insane but he didn't really care, he felt beyond brilliant. He wasn't really sure long they carried on dancing for but he certainly noticed when it finished as George let out a loud shout at the sight of Paul beginning to take John's trousers off.

"Come on now! Do that shit at your place." George didn't sound angry but his tone was commanding enough that it drew all their attention.

"What's the problem?" John asked with a sly grin, his hands placed on his hips triumphantly.

Paul looked completely innocent on his knees but his eyes were extremely dark "We best be heading to bed then." He said sweetly.

"Care to join us?" John purred as he helped Paul up to his feet, looking directly at Ringo.

"Think the coke's gone to your head, John." George laughed, placing a hand around Ringo's waist somewhat protectively.

"Don't think you've had enough." John's smile widened as he took a few steps closer to the two of them "Sharing is caring, after all."

"Oh come off it." George shoved John back playfully "Ringo's all mine tonight, I'm afraid."

"Only tonight?" John joked, winking at Ringo.

"Permanently." Ringo chuckled, resting his head on George's shoulder affectionately. 

Paul just gripped John's hand swiftly "Come on, Johnny, don't keep me waiting."

"Can't say no to that now, can I?" John whispered to Paul, kissing him passionately before they started heading out the door.

"Goodnight you perverts!" George waved with a laugh as Paul merely nodded his head before they ducked out of the flat in a hurry.

Ringo laughed as the door shut, even with the record playing the flat seemed silent. He looked over at George who was meeting his gaze intensely, his eyes were so much darker now with his large pupils. Ringo opened his mouth to speak but George was already kissing him; the rush from the cocaine was in full swing now and Ringo felt like electricity was running through his veins. Immediately Ringo ran his hand down George's back to grab his arse, the other deeply rooting in his hair. They tumbled over to the sofa messily, George falling into Ringo's lap and deepening the kiss. George's tongue ran across Ringo's bottom lip, desperate for entry and claimed his mouth as soon as Ringo opened it to him. It was just wasn't enough, he needed _more_. Ringo had never felt this turned on in his entire life and he was praying the sensation would never end, every brush of skin or trace of lips was pure ecstasy. George pulled away with heavy breaths as he began stripping Ringo of his clothes. 

"George." Ringo panted out.

"Yes, love?" George always looked irresistible, even when he was coming apart at the seams.

"I wanna try something different." Ringo explained as his jumper was lifted above his head, the cool air on his hot skin was very welcome.

"Different how?" George began running his fingers across Ringo's bare chest.

"This time... Can I fuck you?" There was a pause after Ringo spoke, George looked up from where he was focusing on Ringo's belt and that familiar grin grew across his lips.

"God yes." George breathed out, his tongue darting out of his mouth to wet his lips.

Their mouths crashed against one another again, Ringo taking control this time as he picked George up just as he had many times before and carried him to the bedroom. George was twitching with excitement, nibbling at Ringo's neck as he carried him with ease over to the bed. Ringo seemed to blink and already George was lying naked in front of him, maybe he should've suggested this sooner. The sight of him was purely sinful, he was so beautifully slim but not weak looking in any way. Ringo crawled onto the bed slowly, he knew he had to pace himself or all this would be over way too soon. Ringo leaned in gently to kiss George, both of them were still sweating and panting before they'd even began, and he tasted _delicious_. Ringo moved his mouth down George's body agonisingly slow which easily drew out moans from the younger man.

"Ringo..." George's voice was shaky, which was something entirely new to Ringo's ears but he couldn't deny how much he liked it.

"Mmm?" Ringo murmured as he continued kissing down his boyfriend's body.

"When you say you're gonna fuck me, I need you to _really_ fuck me." George sounded more timid than usual.

"As opposed to?" Ringo spoke so that he'd breathe cold air onto George's aching erection which made him shudder.

"No, I just- Don't be afraid that you're going to hurt me or something."

Ringo took hold of George's cock then, it made him hiss to feel Ringo's cold rings against his hot flesh and it gave Ringo the same satisfaction it always did.

"You _want_ me to hurt you, don't you?" Ringo asked, he began to move his hand slowly and George's head fell back onto the bed.

"Is that weird?"

"Makes me question your occupation a bit." Ringo chuckled, then ran his tongue slowly up George's length.

"It's not like that." George tried to sound composed, but it wasn't working.

"Tell me what it's like then." Ringo hummed as he took the head into his mouth.

"Fuck..." George breathed out "I just like it a little rough, you know that."

"You never really hurt me though." Ringo teased George with his mouth between sentences "But you want me to _hurt_ you." When George didn't respond, Ringo grazed his teeth ever so slightly and it made George curse. "Don't you?"

"Fuck, yes I fucking do. Yes, fucking yes!" George was almost screaming "Please just fuck me..."

Ringo made a happy noise in this throat as he took George in his mouth a few more times, it was strange to think at how much he'd struggled to do this the first time. George was writhing beneath him and Ringo pinned his legs to the bed to stop him from squirming around; George let out a small gasp, maybe Ringo was enjoying this more than he thought he would. After teasing George for several more minutes, Ringo flipped George over so that he was lying on his stomach and George couldn't hold in the groan at the sudden reminder of Ringo's strength. George moaned again at the noise of Ringo unbuckling his belt, his arse was rising up desperate for contact. Ringo was questioning why they hadn't done this sooner, but part of him knew the drugs in the system were giving him the confidence to finally take control like this. He ran a hand over George's cheek slowly which only made the taller man move more restlessly, and he made the snap decision to bring his hand down hard onto the skin. George let out a yelp at the stinging feeling and for a second Ringo worried he'd been too rough, but the wanton moan that followed removed any concerns.

"You like that?" Ringo asked, he was even surprising himself with how he was acting.

"Yes..." George panted, he was gripping the sheets desperately. 

Ringo repeated the action, slapping down hard onto his other cheek this time; he wondered whether this was the 'use' for his rings George had been referring to all that time ago. He then moved his fingers up George's back until he reached his face where he pressed two fingers against his thin lips. George accepted them gladly, he was writhing in frustration and was clearly desperate for anything to occupy him, running his tongue over and between them as if he'd kill for the taste. Ringo rubbed George's face with his thumb gently while he began to pump the fingers, using his other hands to rub over his arse teasingly. George whined when Ringo pulled his fingers back out which resulted in another hard slap. Ringo had never been this rough with a girl before, he'd always been so concerned about really hurting them that he never really did anything daring, but now with George it felt nothing but right. He knew George could handle it, that he _wanted_ it, and as much as he loved George just having his way with him, Ringo could get used to switching up the dynamic every now and again. The sight of George whimpering and desperate was definitely something he could get used to.

Ringo ran his fingers around the rim of George's entrance, making him hiss, and he felt beyond intoxicated. This was a whole new experience in itself, he'd never fingered George before but he tried not to over-complicate things in his mind and just give in to the pleasure of it all. He pushed his index finger in gently, this was definitely not the time to hurt George, and was surprised by how natural the whole thing felt as the muscles contracted around him. Ringo's mind couldn't help returning to their old conversations: how John and Paul had been amazed that George wasn't on the receiving end of things, and Ringo imagined all the times George had been in this position before. George's hair was sticking to his forehead in dark strands and his eyes were the darkest Ringo had ever seen them, his muscles straining in pleasure and Ringo prayed he'd never forget the sight.

He managed to get his first finger in without much resistance and he couldn't deny he was desperate to just sink his cock deep inside George. It was difficult to tell what feelings were sexual pleasure and what was the drugs, but it was all melting together beautifully. Ringo pushed in a second finger beside the first and couldn't stop himself from increasing his pace to punishingly brutal, but George was far from complaining. Every time George would beg for more, desperate to feel Ringo's cock inside him, Ringo would slap him harder each time. While it was fun to tease him, Ringo could only take so much himself and eventually removed his fingers. Even without being touched Ringo was painfully hard, which he gladly proved to George by rubbing his erection between his two cheeks. Ringo teasingly ran the head of his cock across George's entrance several times without pushing himself inside. He decided to turn George over again onto his back, he wanted to watch his face while he fucked him. George flashed him a grin which said more than words ever could.

"Ready?" Ringo asked as he aligned himself.

"Yes, fuck..." George's mouth didn't seem connected to his mind at all.

Ringo braced himself on George's shoulder as he gradually forced his cock inside, nothing could've prepared him for how good it felt. They were both cursing before Ringo even bottomed out, Ringo found himself resting his forehead against George's when he was finally all the way in. This was nothing like fucking a girl, Ringo couldn't help thinking. If George felt this good when he fucked Ringo, he wasn't surprised he was so eager to do it.

"So fucking tight." Ringo breathed as he regained enough consciousness to begin pulling back out.

"You're just big, my love." George smiled, his hand was on Ringo's neck.

"Is that so?" Ringo grinned, but he couldn't keep his composure for long as he slowly thrust back inside George.

"Shit... You know you are." George was having trouble keeping his eyes open.

"Just like hearing you say it." Ringo kissed George's forehead then, in any other circumstance it would've seemed sweet.

Ringo picked up his pace now, _this_ was something he was familiar with, he liked to think he was good at it. Granted he'd never fucked a girl this tight before, or had such strong feelings for someone he was sleeping with, but that only made the experience all the better. They were both very quickly becoming a mess of sweat and moans, George pulled Ringo down on top of him so that their glistening skin rubbed together as Ringo began ruthlessly fucking him. Ringo could sense that his rhythm was sloppy but he couldn't help it, his mind was swimming in pure ecstasy. He wasn't sure how long he was going to last, but George's endless moans and pleas weren't helping him in any way. 

"Harder... Please." George panted "Fuck me _harder_."

Ringo found it impossible to deny George when he looked and sounded so utterly delicious. He lifted himself back up and realigned himself, lifting George's legs and wrapping them around his waist who gladly pulled their bodies closer together. Ringo placed his hand just beside George's head for support as he thrust in again, bottoming out in one harsh thrust and George felt like crying. He picked up the unforgiving pace once again and Ringo could barely keep his eyes open but he tried his best to meet George's gaze, who was looking at him with such a beautiful blend of lust and love.

"Ringo..." George struggled to get his words out.

"Yes?" 

"Can you..." His voice trailed off into a moan "I want you to choke me."

" _Choke_ you?" Ringo didn't mean to sound as concerned as he did, but he'd never been asked this before.

"Please..." George pleaded, he tightened himself around Ringo in an attempt to convince him "I want it, I promise."

"I dunno... I don't know how to do it." Ringo had slowed his pace subconsciously.

George just flashed him a grin and caught Ringo at the wrist, who reluctantly allowed his hand to be moved so that it gripped around George's neck. Ringo had a nervous look in his eye but George looked completely crazed, he really wanted this.

"Just press down, at the top. Not too hard." George breathed out "I'll tell you if it hurts, don't worry."

"You're sure?" Ringo couldn't deny he somewhat enjoyed the feeling of George's slim neck beneath his hand like this.

"I'm sure." George gave him one of his sweeter smiles then and strengthened his legs around Ringo as a signal to carry on.

Ringo nodded and tentatively picked up the pace again, it wasn't long before he was losing himself in the pleasure once more. George placed on his hands on Ringo's forearm, they shared a look of understanding that George would use this hand to signal when to stop; George tightened his grip to signal that Ringo should do the same. Ringo pressed down with his thumb and first two fingers as he quickened his pace once more and George took in a strangled breath, his eyes fluttering shut. This was never something Ringo expected to find himself doing, but George had a way of surprising him like that. As Ringo tightened his grip he felt George clenching around him, and he wondered whether it was intentional or not, but it felt _good_. George's hand was still wrapped around Ringo's arm but his grip was lighter, he was letting out struggling moans and his face was growing redder. It was a strangely glorious sight, and Ringo felt somewhat guilty for finding it so erotic but he figured there was a reason people did this - even if they wouldn't be quick to admit to it. After several minutes Ringo felt George suddenly tighten his hand's grip on his arm and he quickly moved his hand off of George's throat; he took in a dramatic breath in and his eyes shot open which were on fire with pleasure. George looked at him with a mixture of shock and joy and the moans that followed should've been criminal.

"Fuck." George said with a husky voice and Ringo knew it wouldn't be long before either of them were done.

"Was that okay?" Ringo asked, he didn't want to kill the atmosphere but the last thing he wanted was to take things too far.

George responded by pulling Ringo in for a heated kiss, it was messy with nothing but tongues and teeth and heavy breath. Ringo figured that had to be a good sign. He pulled back up again and gripped onto George's hip tightly as he fucked through what he figured was his final burst of energy.

"I'm close..." Ringo mumbled as he hazily looked at George.

"Me too." George panted "Touch me."

Ringo didn't need to be told twice; he used his other hand to snake around George's leaking cock. George gripped onto the sheets which were damp with their sweat, his other hand madly running over Ringo's skin anywhere he could possibly reach. 

"You fuck me so _fucking_ good, Ringo." George began to ramble "Love your cock. Love how you fuck me. Been waiting for you to fuck me."

Ringo couldn't respond coherently, he could only moan desperately as his rhythm began to falter even further as he felt his orgasm building. Nobody could make him this undone, not like George, all he needed to do was speak and Ringo melted into him.

"Just don't fucking stop, don't stop. Please don't stop." George's head had fallen backwards, his eyes rolling in his head "So close..."

"I'm gonna- Fuck!" Ringo cried out as he felt himself slipping away, the sound of his skin ruthlessly smacking against George's was deafening.

"Come inside me, _please_. Fuck I need to feel it. Make me cum while you fill me up, _daddy_." George was getting completely lost in it all, Ringo almost didn't catch the final word but the sound falling out of George's lip was the final push he needed.

Ringo rapidly jerked George's cock as he maintained a rough rhythm, and as he felt George desperately tightening around him as his orgasm overcame him it was impossible to stop himself from finishing. It was pure electricity. George screamed out in pleasure, scratching his hand down Ringo's back involuntarily as cum coated his flat stomach with the feeling of Ringo filling him up with his own cum. It was the longest orgasm he'd ever experienced, or at least it felt that way to Ringo, as he struggled to open his eyes again. As their breaths collectively slowed down and they both came back to reality, Ringo having collapsed on top of George, they could hear the distant sound of the record still playing in the living room. They both smiled to hear the music, letting out breathless laughs, as Ringo pulled out as gracefully as he could manage. 

As they always did, George cuddled up to Ringo who wrapped his arms around him happily. Ringo pressed a kiss onto George's damp hair, taking in the earthy smell of sweat. 

"I love you." Ringo murmured against his head, pressing another kiss there.

"I love you too." George pressed a similarly gentle kiss onto Ringo's sweaty neck.

"Finally broke out the 'daddy' then?" Ringo chuckled lowly.

"Shut up... I wasn't hearing any complaints." George sounded a little defensive.

"Far from it." Ringo pressed George closer to him "Should I go turn that record off?"

"If you want to, I always thought you were better at turning _on_ though." George pressed another kiss against Ringo's skin.

"Let me recover from this first, alright?" Ringo laughed as he began to slowly pull away to get off the bed.

"No round two?" George asked with a pout.

"I didn't say that, did I?" Ringo winked as he headed towards the door.

"What did I do to deserve you?" George asked smiling, raising himself up on his elbows.

"You must've been a saint in your past life. But you're _far_ from that now." Ringo said "Think I'll take a shower, care to join me?"

"Is that even a question?" George grinned, already getting up to his feet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i finished this at 5 in the morning after binge watching fleabag which reawakened all my sexual frustrations so i would DEFINITELY recommend watching it
> 
> not a lot happening this chapter im afraid but writing them having a laugh is always more fun than an actual story and hey i miss sex and drugs so i gotta live vicariously through the boys once more
> 
> i almost turned this into a whole foursome thing but that would be taking quarantine horniness a little too far i think
> 
> hope you guys are still enjoying! every comment is great motivation for me so please please let me know what you think :)


	21. Assignment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brian calls the boys over to discuss a proposition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow ive actually thought of a semi-cohesive plot i cant believe it 
> 
> expect much more frequent chapter updates as my sisters gone back up to liverpool so i finally have my room to myself again so i dont have to worry about her looking over to see me writing a 3000 word chapter of beatles smut

A week had passed before Brian had asked to see Ringo for an 'assignment', he'd also asked the rest of the boys to come along. During this time Ringo had moved into the remaining flat on George's floor which was a strange level of commitment Ringo hadn't anticipated: they weren't living together _technically_ , Ringo's things like his clothes and drum kit were at his place across the hall but he spent almost every minute of the day at George's. He had to admit he'd miss his old place somewhat, as dreary and depressing as it was, and he had the horrible feeling that he'd never settle into this new flat because it was just too _nice_. Not that Ringo didn't think he deserved nice things, but knowing that he was living there through his connections - a phrase he heard repeatedly now - rather than his own hard work made him feel a bit undeserving. Nonetheless he was more than happy to be so much closer to George, not to forget John and Paul either who he was increasingly getting closer with.

His flat was the same layout as George's only flipped, with luxurious furniture and a fairly nice view of the city. John suggested they threw a 'house warming party' which just consisted of another night of debauchery which took place in Ringo's flat instead of George's, but Ringo appreciated the sentiment. George also made the suggestion that they christen his new bed, which didn't take much convincing. Despite his slight discomfort in his new lavish surroundings, he had a real sense of belonging when he was with the other boys and couldn't be happier with how things had turned out. Ringo insisted that they ate a proper homemade dinner together rather than eating out as they usually did and it was such a success that they decided to do it at least once a week from then on. George had helped Ringo in the kitchen and they somehow managed to get a satisfactory dinner ready without breaking anything or burning the place down; next week would be John an Paul's turn, George was already planning on spontaneously becoming allergic to whatever they were going to cook. The four of them essentially did everything together, well not _everything_ despite John's constant joking. 

He'd worked a few more shifts at The Babylon and they'd gone very smoothly. Ringo worried he wouldn't be able to go back there after everything that happened but as soon as he had his sticks in hand he felt unstoppable; the constant reminder that security had been increased and were watching him specifically helped too of course. Shane had been massively relieved to see Ringo on his first shift back, giving him a tight hug which neither of them were really anticipating. The rest of the band thought Ringo was pretty 'cool' for having survived the whole thing, but were still a little standoffish. While the physical wounds were completely healed by this point, Ringo couldn't deny he was still a little subconsciously shaken about the whole thing but he just tried his best not to think about it. Upon hearing that Brian wanted to see him, Ringo felt irrefutably nervous about the whole ordeal but he just had to remember how much Brian had insisted that he would be protected now. It was a cold Thursday morning when the four of them were called back over to Brian's house, Paul once again woke them all up on time. They'd started eating breakfast together every so often, although John almost always refused on the basis that it was too early to do anything but going back to bed, which is what they did that morning.

"I think he enjoys torturing us by getting us up so early." John mumbled into his cup of coffee.

"It's 9 in the morning John, it's hardly the break of dawn." Ringo smiled, although he wasn't feeling too chirpy himself.

They all piled into Paul's car and headed back over to Brian's house, which Ringo was pretty excited to see again. George Martin met them at the door once more, although he seemed a little more serious this time. He led them into the lounge and offered them all a drink before vanishing to find Brian again, who entered a few minutes later.

"So lovely to see you boys!" He beamed, approaching them all individually with a handshake before taking the same seat as he did last time "How have you all been keeping?"

They all spoke over one another lazily which made Brian chuckle, he had a cup of tea brought in by George who then moved over to the window. The atmosphere in the room was a little tense, at least Ringo thought so, and he gripped George's hand for comfort. 

"Now, I've got quite a big task for the four of you. I could've given it to someone else, but I really think you're perfect for this." Brian began, shifting to get comfortable in the chair as he stirred his tea "It's a great chance for you all to really prove yourself, and would be a great way of throwing you into the deep end, Ringo."

Ringo shone a nervous smile at the mention of his name which resulted in another small laugh from Brian.

"One thing I really want to do as well is remove you four from the environment here, this Chapman business is really heating up and to get you out of harms way would just be a massive relief for myself." He paused to take a sip of his tea "I'll just cut straight to the chase, I want to send you boys over to Germany." He paused for a response.

"What's in Germany?" George asked when he realised nobody else was going to speak.

"Hamburg." Brian said with a smile.

"And what's in Hamburg?" John asked with a chuckle.

"Well we've got quite a few connections over there in the clubs and so forth, but I've been getting a lot of reports lately that a certain group has been trying to muscle their way onto the scene." Brian explained "The issue is we don't know exactly _who's_ doing it, and the people I have over there are far too known to really do anything about it."

"I think I see where this is going." John murmured.

"What I would like you boys to do is go over there and suss this whole situation out. That city is just filled with rambunctious lads like yourself, and I think you'll really fit in there. Ringo, you would join one of the bands in one of my clubs and see what information you can gain there, while the rest of you boys do what you do best." Brian paused again and awaited a response.

"How dangerous could this whole thing get?" Paul asked politely.

"Well it's hard to say, of course. The city itself is rather dangerous, I suppose, but I would insist that Ringo doesn't get involved if anything turns violent. The aim of this whole thing is to discover who's trying to take over our territory, and put to a stop to it. I'm not above offering them money, but ideally I'd rather settle this without any loss on our part. Does that make sense?" Brian smiled.

"What about my job here?" Ringo asked, he felt rather stumped by the whole situation.

"Oh, don't worry about that, George is already working on finding a temporary replacement." Brian gestured behind him to where George gave a small smile in response.

"How long would we be there for?" George asked, he was rubbing the back of Ringo's hand with his thumb.

"I can't imagine it'd extend any longer than a month. A week or two, I'd estimate." Brian took another sip of his drink.

"I don't want to step out of line or anything, Brian." John began "But is taking us away from the city we know and are protected in only to place us somewhere unknown with a potentially dangerous group of people really the best idea?"

Brian just chuckled "I understand your concern, of course. If you are all opposed to the idea, I can offer it to someone else, but I thought it'd be a great opportunity for you three to show what you're capable of, particularly with the messy episodes over the past few months." There was more of an edge to his voice now.

"Do you know how big the group is?" Paul asked.

"Not definitively, but if nobody can identify them they can't be _that_ large surely." Brian said with a smile "I have a lot of respect for you boys, and I _trust_ you to do this for me. So what do you say?"

There was a pause for a few moments, each of them looking at one another before George spoke "Can you give us a minute to talk about it?"

"Oh, of course. I'll head out to the garden, come and find me when you're done." Brian didn't hesitate to get up then, heading out of the room with his tea in hand and George following behind him.

Another silence followed before they were sure the two of them were far away enough from the room.

"What do you think?" George spoke first, squeezing Ringo's hand.

"I dunno... I've never even been out of the country before." Ringo said sheepishly.

"Well I say we go." John blurted out determinedly.

"Really?" Paul asked surprised. "Why so sure?"

"I've heard _a lot_ about Hamburg from some of the other lads, and it sounds like a right riot." John grinned.

"John it's not a bloody holiday." George scoffed.

"Well we can't work all day, can we?" John sat back comfortably, crossing his legs over.

"What have you heard?" Ringo asked, with Brian out of the room he instantly felt more relaxed.

"Drugs, drink, music, prostitutes - you name it, its got it all." John said.

"We literally have all of those things here." George replied with a chuckle.

"No, not like this place. It sounds like sin central, I'm telling you. I think it'd be fun."

"Not sure I'm happy with how excited you are for prostitutes, darling." Paul spoke up now "But it would be nice to get out of this place, maybe get away from all the glitz of it all."

"I'm all for it, would be nice to get back here and those Chapman bastards have been dealt with." George said "But only if you're comfortable with it, love."

"Its just _a lot_ , you know? It sounds like it could be fun, especially if all I'm really doing is drumming. I just don't want to be like dead weight." Ringo was warming to the idea, but the unknown aspect of it all was certainly frightening.

"You wouldn't be you daft git." John laughed "That's the whole _point_ , we do all the dirty work you just be your normal charming self and get us some information."

"But how do I even do that?" Ringo asked.

"Ringo, what's my favourite colour?" John raised his eyebrow.

"Er- Green, why?" Ringo stammered.

"And how do you know that?" John leaned forward in his seat.

"I think Ge-" Ringo paused "Oh... Now I feel proper daft."

"It's not rocket science. All you have to do is _talk_ to people, find out what you can and we'll do the rest." John was still laughing.

"Well in that case, I suppose I'm on board then." Ringo chuckled.

"You sure?" George asked and Ringo nodded in response.

"That sorts that then!" Paul said with a smile "Now, can anyone speak any German?"

* * *

Brian had been quite delighted at the news, he explained that they'd have to be staying in somewhere on the 'lower scale of things' to not draw so much attention to themselves and told them to pack that very same night. Their flight left London the following afternoon and they had to be up and ready in the morning for a long drive.

"I thought you'd have a private jet or something." Ringo said as he packed up his clothes into a suitcase, he didn't even own one prior to a few hours ago.

"We're not _that_ loaded." George chuckled as he rifled through his wardrobe.

"Are you excited?" Ringo asked, he had the horrible feeling that he was the only nervous one.

"A little bit, but it's still work, you know? Just hope things go as smoothly as they're _supposed_ to." George sounded more serious now "Especially if you're getting involved now, I've gotta start doing things properly."

All packed and ready to go, the four of them spent the evening at George's having a little to drink and trying their best to get an early night. Ringo struggled getting to sleep, tossing and turning throughout the night as the fear began to take hold of him. George groggily awoke after an hour of Ringo's continuous movements, he didn't say a word but moved up closer to the smaller man and wrapped his arm tight around his waist. It calmed Ringo instantly, and while he couldn't silence the constant worries in his mind, he felt more able to overcome them with the safe feeling of George beside him. He just had to remember John's words and Brian's emphasis of how important his safety was.

The follow morning came abruptly in the manner they always did whenever something important was going on: Paul knocking repeatedly on George's door with a groggy John stood beside him until Ringo finally got up to let them in. At times George never even locked his front door because it just made life easier for everyone, despite Paul telling him it was a stupid thing to do. There was to be a car arriving in 10 minutes which was just enough time to drag George out of bed and into something half-decent. Despite the importance of the whole situation, at this point it really just felt like a strange holiday to the four of them and Ringo couldn't deny that he felt a little excited. They all had a cup of tea and pieces of toast were lazily passed around before they managed to squeeze into the lift with their suitcases. There was a driver waiting for them outside the building with a rather swanky car, Ringo felt a little like a celebrity as they all piled inside. On the back seat was a letter from Brian addressed on the front simply to ' _Boys_ '. Paul seized the letter before John lazily sat on it and read it aloud to them; it detailed what hotel they'd be staying at, the clubs that were in need of investigating, the band Ringo would be joining and most importantly that they should call him at the end of every day to update him.

"Bit much." John snickered.

"This is some serious shit." George chuckled "Can we try to _not_ fuck this one up?"

"Like you're so perfect." Paul made himself comfortable as the car began to drive off "Are you forgetting when you knocked out that bloke onl-"

"Only to find out he was one of ours, yeah whatever." George interrupted with a smile "Let's just do this one properly, alright lads?"

"And who put you in charge?" John raised an eyebrow.

"Oh I'm _sorry_ , lets put the alcoholic, nymphomaniac, coke-addict in charge in a city filled with drugs and prostitutes." George glared but he was still grinning.

"Bastard." John kicked him playfully "I'm not even a coke-addict."

"Well let's keep it that way, eh Johnny?" Ringo laughed and the tension of the car immediately depleted.

"Nobody has to be _in charge_ , we work better as a team anyway." Paul said as he put the letter away in his jacket pocket "Today we should just focus on getting used to the city, settling in and that, before we start anything proper."

"Sounds like _you're_ in charge." George quipped. 

The journey to the airport continued in a similar manner, with a slight edge of nervousness under everyone's voices but nothing but playful jokes being told. It was a strange sight for the four of them to be so casually dressed, even if Paul was still wearing a blazer, but it made everything feel significantly less official which did wonders for Ringo's nerves. He'd never even been on a plane before, something he'd already been harmlessly teased about, and he was worried that it would only be the beginning of a series of frightening events. The drive down to London was very long indeed, but luckily they had the radio and one another to stay entertained. All four of them fell asleep at different points on the journey, Ringo was the only one who wasn't purposefully woken up by the rest of them. 

"I say we do a crawl of all the clubs, for _research_ purposes." John suggested as he lit a cigarette, they were about an hour away from the airport.

"You don't have to give us that bullshit, John, we're not Brian." George said as he offered out his lighter "Not that I'm opposed to the idea o'course."

"As long as we don't get _too_ shitfaced. I don't see a problem with it." Paul smiled, his seal of approval on a plan usually meant it went forward, Ringo noticed.

"Would be nice to see where I'll be playing for the next few weeks." Ringo suggested "I hope they bloody speak English."

"Music's a universal language, you'll be fine." John chuckled.

"If we're all gonna be sharing a room, can we make a promise _now_ that we're not gonna be bringing anyone back to the hotel? I'm not having my sleep disturbed because John likes the look of some rent-boy." George said.

"Such a prude George, I swear. What happened to you?" John nudged him.

"Look, if you had your own room you can do as much freaky shit as you please but _not_ if I'm in the room, alright?" George nudged him back with a laugh. "Shag them back at their place, in the bloody street for all I care."

Ringo fell asleep a second time before the car finally stopped outside the airport and he was awoken by a soft rocking from George and a tender kiss on the lips. They all performed a variety of strange stretches after they toppled out of the car. A 2 hour flight still awaited them which none of them were particularly looking forward to, but at least the longest part was over now. The four of them all smoked a cigarette before actually heading inside, their driver was gone and they were left alone to their own devices. Brian had tickets waiting for them which Paul went to collect while John went off in a search for coffee.

Getting onto the plane was a strange experience for Ringo, it was a lot smaller than he had anticipated which gave it the strange feeling of not being real. George and Ringo had been seated together with Paul and John in front of them, with the two remaining aisle seats being left for unfortunate passengers who were going to have to put up with their crude conversations for the entirety of the flight. Ringo tried to hide his nerves when the plane began to take off but he was gripping George's hand so tightly he worried he might pull it out of its socket. Once they were in the air Ringo could relax again, as long as he didn't think about how high up they were, and the four of them began to chatter away. John made a pledge to try ever drug offered to him while in Hamburg which earned a roll of the eyes from Paul.

"Forget new drugs, you're gonna come back to England with about five new diseases." George laughed which only spurred John on further.

John expressed his excitement for their red-light district, claiming that these people weren't like 'normal prostitutes' which made Ringo laugh. According to what he'd heard from members of the family that had been sent to Hamburg, it was one of the most depraved and raunchy cities in Europe which was apparently a haven to John.

"I do worry what you'd be like if you didn't have me sometimes." Paul admitted somewhat seriously "Shagging every Tom, Dick and Harry that came your way."

"I'll be honest Paulie, I worry what I'd be like without you too." John replied with a soft kiss.

Both Ringo and George managed to fall asleep at one point, resting their heads on one another despite knowing that once they woke up their necks would be aching, which allowed John and Paul some private time that they no doubt would've capitalised on had there not been an elderly gentleman sat beside them. The 2 hours flew by, rather literally, compared to the car journey down to London and before they knew it they'd landed in Hamburg. It was approaching 4 o'clock now and the four of them were desperately hungry for some food. They hurried off the plane and seized their suitcases to find another driver waiting for them outside the airport who drove them to their hotel. The city didn't seem to be as debauched as John had described it to be, but it was still fairly early in the day. 

The hotel was a welcome change of pace for Ringo, it was incredibly plain and somewhat dingy which was always more comfortable to him than luxury. Paul checked them in at the front desk, he was given a single key between the four of them, where the receptionist gave them a curious look as they walked up to their room. Ringo didn't want to imagine the thoughts the woman was having about what four young men were doing hurrying into a single room while it was still light outside. The room itself looked better than they had all anticipated, they had a small lounge with a radio which split off into a bedroom with two double beds with little space between them.

John immediately jumped onto one of the beds, kicking off his shoes and stretching out onto the sheets. They all followed suit, Paul leaping onto John and rolling around to lie beside him, while George pulled Ringo down onto the bed. It devolved into pure childish antics as John began tickling Paul, who retaliated by hitting him with one of the pillows; before long the four of them were jumping around pelting each other with pillows and diving down onto the creaky beds in fits of laughter. It was pure lunacy, but Ringo couldn't have wished for a better start to this whole ordeal, for no matter how serious or dire things got he knew he'd always have these three with him every step of the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks so much for reading! i really do appreciate every single comment and kudos so please let me know what you think whether its positive or negative i really want to improve my writing style :) 
> 
> im currently taking requests on my tumblr mithranqueersmusings so dont hesitate if theres anything you want to read! ive got so many ideas for more starrison and mclennon fics once i finish this one


	22. Hamburg

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys spend their first night in Hamburg.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i swear every single chapter i struggle to get up to the 3000 word mark and then i just completely spill over it at the end 
> 
> drug use warning for this chapter AGAIN im sorry but that scary preludin picture of the boys haunts me and i just couldnt not include a nod to it
> 
> oh and thank you SO MUCH for 100+ kudos im not entirely sure when it happened but im very very thankful and happy that people are enjoying my ramblings!

After settling into their hotel room - by almost tearing the place down with their antics - and unpacking their suitcases, the boys headed out for some dinner. The city seemed to be coming alive now as the sun began to set, with the bright lights turning on and muffled music playing. They decided to eat at a homely looking place called Gretel & Alfons, a rather busy pub which reminded them of all the places back in England; each of them ordered some food and a couple of drinks before they tipsily headed back out in search of the Top Ten Club, where Ringo would be playing tomorrow night. People were littering the streets now and there was a very lively atmosphere all around, a fight or two had already broke out which excited John massively. The four of them meandered down the busy streets until they spotted a luminous sign which confirmed they were in the right place.

Ringo noticed a definite difference in the club than places back home, there seemed to be some sort of electricity in the air, everyone was far more lively and erratic. John headed straight to the bar and the rest of them followed eagerly then they headed to the dance floor to get a better look at the band who were really in the swing of things; they were more energetic than any band Ringo had seen before and deduced it had to be due to drugs. They were a little clumsy, somewhat offbeat and out of tune, but what they lacked in that area they for sure made up for in energy. They played a few more songs which the boys happily danced along to, before announcing they were taking a short break and headed off the stage. 

"Go have a word with them, Ringo." John suggested, nudging him with his elbow while he took a sip of his beer.

"And say what?" Ringo asked, the alcohol had calmed his nerves somewhat.

"Just introduce yourself, you'll be playing with them tomorrow after all." George said with a calming smile.

"You do know how to talk to people, don't you?" John snickered.

"Ha ha." Ringo replied sarcastically and started to head to the backstage area.

Ringo found them in a small room just off the stage chugging beers or smoking while some of them were taking small pills. He felt a little intimidated stepping into the room, there was four of them dressed in all black with leather jackets and trousers.

"Hey." Ringo broke the silence but only one of them turned to look at him "I'm- Er... I'm Ringo, I'm the drummer." There was more silence "Do you speak English?"

The one looking at him laughed then, he had messy brown hair and soft blue eyes, then spoke "I'm the only one that speaks English, I'm afraid." He had a thick German accent "I'm Klaus, I play bass."

"Nice to meet you Klaus." Ringo smiled and walked a little further into the room "You guys were pretty wild out there."

Klaus laughed and took a drag of his cigarette "Thanks. Is this your first time in Hamburg?"

"Sure is." Ringo sipped his beer.

One of the other band members spoke to Klaus in German then, giving Ringo a quizzical look, but when Klaus responded he reached out his hand to shake Ringo's. Ringo obliged and shook his hand, which spurred the other two members to do the same without saying a word. It was a strange situation, Ringo thought, he supposed he would have to rely on music being a universal language after all. How exactly he was meant to get information from these people he wasn't sure, he didn't even know what the German word for information was.

"What brings you to Hamburg then?" Klaus asked, he was fiddling with his bass.

"Oh..." Ringo paused, he cursed himself for not having prepared something to say "I've just heard some pretty wild things from the boys back home, decided to come and see for myself."

"I see." Klaus said absentmindedly "You here on your own, then?"

"No, I've got some mates with me. Decided to make a little trip of it." Ringo nervously drank more of his beer.

"They musicians too?" Klaus asked.

"No, no... Just me." Ringo smiled awkwardly, he wasn't a fan of how he was the one answering questions rather than asking them.

"Well it was nice to meet you Ringo." Klaus began, he reached into his pocket and pulled out one of the small pills he'd seen the others taking "But we've got to get back on stage now. Maybe you and your friends will come for a drink with us after?"

"Oh, yeah that'd be great!" Ringo tried not too sound too excited as the band began leaving the room with what looked like a new burst of energy. Klaus gave him a small smile as he stubbed out his cigarette and tossed it onto the already messy floor, then he was heading back to the stage and Ringo was on his own. He scoped around the room before heading back to the boys, he picked up one of the unfinished beers on his way out which John gladly took from him.

"How'd it go?" George asked, throwing his arm around Ringo which was one of the first signs that he was getting drunk.

"Alright. Only one of them speaks English." Ringo said with a laugh.

"Better than none." Paul replied.

"Not as good as two." John retorted, he'd already finished the beer Ringo had given to him.

"They were taking these little pills, too. I guess that's why they're so manic." Ringo explained as he looked back up to the band who were playing even more intensely than before.

"Did you get any?" John asked quickly which resulted in a light smack on the shoulder from Paul.

"Stay focused, Johnny, Jesus..." Paul said half-jokingly "Maybe they're from this other group, that's usually how they try and take over territory."

"Oh and they asked us out for drinks after." Ringo felt somewhat accomplished with this news, even though he hadn't done much.

"Us?" George asked confused.

"Yeah, they asked if I was here with anyone and I said I had a couple of mates with me." Ringo said "Shouldn't I have? I thought it'd be weird if I said I was here on my own."

"No, no it's fine. Just be careful what you say about us, you know?" Paul explained "We shouldn't be seen together too much after tonight though, otherwise you're gonna be in harm's way Ringo, and we don't want that."

"No we don't." George said rather seriously.

"Probably best we cut down on the drinks for now, don't wanna risk saying the wrong thing later on." Paul directed this mostly at John who frowned at him dramatically "There'll be plenty of time to get shitfaced later, right now we've got a job to do."

"Oh come on, one more..." John pleaded, batting his eyelashes.

"Fine." Paul said after a pause " _One_ more."

"Thanks mother." John chuckled, giving him a kiss and hurrying back off to the bar.

"Don't ca-" Paul began but John was already gone, he rolled his eyes and looked at the other two who were laughing.

The band carried on playing for another couple hours before they were finally relieved by another group. John had drank at _least_ three more beers during this time which hadn't put Paul in the best of moods, but ever since Ringo had announced what Klaus had said he seemed to change suddenly into a more serious, perhaps professional was the best word, persona. George and Ringo just danced the time away, they were careful not to get too close as they weren't sure how risky that sort of behaviour was in this place, but they shared a few secretive kisses in the dark. When the band announced their departure, Ringo looked over to Klaus who was looking at him with a smile; he gestured with his head for Ringo to follow him. Ringo found Paul and John at the bar, John with a beer in hand and Paul lecturing him, although it didn't look like an argument. Ringo felt too awkward to intervene, but George stepped in without any issue as though he'd seen this a million times before, and the four of them headed to meet with the band.

"Are you gonna use your real names?" Ringo asked as they began to walk backstage.

"You've been reading too much James Bond." John laughed, he sounded fairly drunk.

"It'd just over-complicate things." Paul said "And I think _this one_ can hardly even remember his real name." He gestured over to John who just smiled at him widely.

The band was in that same cramped room as before, putting away their instruments and grooming themselves in the one mirror available. Klaus looked over at the group of them as they approached and gave a warm smile, his pupils were massive.

"Hey Ringo!" Klaus was almost shouting, clearly the energy from their performance (amongst other things) hadn't depleted just yet "These are your 'mates', then?"

"That's us!" John met his volume easily. "Nice to meet you, I'm John!"

"Great show tonight." Paul smiled. "I'm Paul."

"George." George said simply with a small smile.

" _Wunderbar_ , welcome to Hamburg!" Klaus's smiled widened, he seemed pretty wired "Let's go and get some drinks then, yeah?"

Klaus turned to speak to the rest of the band in German who then approached the group with similarly wild smiles, they did their best to greet them in rather broken English before Klaus gestured for everyone to follow him as they headed out of the building. If Ringo had thought the city was waking up before, it was wide awake and reeling now, with scantily dressed women in high heels prancing about the streets and burly men shouting or singing loudly with bottles in hand. It was an entirely new atmosphere and Ringo began to understand what John had been saying he'd heard about the city. Klaus led them down the illuminated street excitedly, his band members grouped together separately from Ringo and his friends; he didn't find this necessarily hostile, he just supposed there wasn't much use in attempting any conversation. 

"Do they _really_ not speak any English?" Ringo asked Klaus as they walked, George was walking close beside him.

"Do you speak any German?" Klaus responded with a grin.

"Fair point." Ringo laughed.

They weren't walking for that long down the Reeperbahn, as Ringo had learned it was called, before they were ducking into another club. It wasn't as busy as the Top Ten Club but was still filled with a lively group of people and music. Klaus found a booth for the five of them to sit in, the other three band members sat behind them in another booth, then vanished off to buy them all drinks.

"We must give you a warm Hamburg welcome!" Klaus had announced before heading to the bar.

Ringo and George were sat together while John and Paul sat across from them, Ringo had noticed that George was being far quieter than normal since they left the club but he tried not to read too much into it. 

"He seems nice." Paul said to fill the silence.

"Very friendly." George muttered.

"Ooh, is Georgie getting jealous?" John teased with a grin.

"Piss off, John." George spat but there was a humorous tone behind his harsh words.

"What's the plan?" Ringo asked to break up the tension, he caught hold of George's hand under the table in an attempt to soothe him.

"Well we don't wanna come on too strong, else he'll get suspicious." Paul began "Just play it casual, try and slip in a question or two when the moment's right."

" _I've_ got a plan." John announced proudly.

"Does it involve getting any more pissed?" George asked with a chuckle.

"Maybe..." John's voice trailed off as he began to lose concentration "But, it _is_ a plan."

"Jesus." Ringo laughed "I'm starting to realise why you guys are always getting into so much trouble."

Klaus returned at that moment masterfully carrying five pints of beer in his two hands, he shakily placed them down onto the table with minimal spillage and moved into to sit next to Ringo. They all grabbed hold of a glass and held it up.

"Cheers!" They all shouted, except Klaus who called out " _Prost_!"

Eagerly, more so John than anyone else, they gulped down their beers then set them down with a collective exhale.

"So what do you boys do?" Klaus asked.

"What _don't_ we do?" John responsed rapidly "Weed, coke-"

"Oh, no... I meant for work. Did I say that right?" Klaus interrupted John gently.

"Your English is fine, _he's_ the problem." George chuckled.

"But hey if you guys are in need of any _medication_ , I can help you out." Klaus lowered his voice and leaned in a little.

"Oh yeah?" Paul asked, leaning in too.

"You guys ever taken prellies?" Klaus began rooting around in his pocket.

"No." George answered, Ringo began feeling a little nervous. 

"You've gotta try it." Klaus pulled out a silver cylinder from his pocket and opened it up, pouring out some dark orange pills onto the table.

"What are they?" Paul asked, John was already playing with one of them.

"Uppers." Was all Klaus said before he placed one into his mouth and swallowed it down with a sip of beer "Consider it a welcoming present."

That was all the encouragement John needed, taking the pill eagerly with a wink directed at Paul. The rest of them then followed suit, Ringo was hesitant but George gripped his hand tightly and it was all the reassurance he needed.

"Say, if we're ever in need of any other _medication_ ," John winked dramatically at Klaus "Who should we go to?"

"Well if you want any more of these, you can just come to me. They're literally giving it away at the clubs." Klaus' fingers were twitching and Ringo wondered how many he'd taken tonight.

"Why?" Ringo asked, he was genuinely curious rather than trying to investigate anything.

"Keeps us awake." Klaus laughed, taking another sip of his beer "We're working all night sometimes, and half-awake bands don't make nearly as much money. I'm not complaining either way."

"What about coke?" John asked, Ringo noticed his pupils were dilating.

"If you're offering." Klaus laughed again "No, no it's _far_ too expensive. I know where you can get some from though. There's a couple of guys hang about the Reeperbahn, can get you almost anything."

"Oh, great!" Paul feigned "What do they look like?"

"I dunno... Big?" Klaus was fidgeting more now "One of them's blonde, I think. Wear leather jackets. Pretty sure they're new in town."

The boys all shared a knowing look now, although John was beginning to space off somewhere else; even though it hadn't necessarily been the plan to find anything out tonight here they were with a lead already. Ringo began feeling the effect of the drug in his system, and he began to worry that this was a bad idea - accepting unknown drugs from an unknown person in an unknown city wasn't the smartest thing he'd ever done. It was similar to how the cocaine had felt, his heart was quickening and he felt fidgety but there was something a little different this time: his eyes felt like they were moving rapidly and his vision became a little blurred.

"Who's for a fag?" Paul asked, more to the group than Klaus but he still responded positively and they all headed outside.

Ringo's legs felt a little tingly as he walked, he reluctantly leaned on George slightly for support but he was still conscious that such behaviour was potentially dangerous.

"You alright?" George asked in a quiet voice, he was running his tongue across his teeth.

"Yeah, just feel a little funny." Ringo admitted, the cold air hitting his face helped in sobering him up "Should we have taken that?"

"Maybe not, but probably would've looked weird if we didn't." George said "Just let me know if you're feeling _really funny_ , okay love?"

Ringo nodded as the five of them huddled together in a circle for warmth, Paul taking out a packet of cigarettes and passing one along to everyone with a disdainful look - he was convinced the other boys didn't buy any because they knew they could knick his. They all lit their cigarettes and took a drag, Ringo was hoping it'd help set his mind a little straighter but it seemed to be having the opposite effect. He looked over at George but his eyes struggled to focus, when they settled he saw George returning his bizarre gaze and he at least felt a little relieved that he wasn't the only one having a strange experience. He heard John letting out a drunken laugh, saw him leaning against the wall for support as he looked up to the sky with wide eyes. 

"You feeling it?" Klaus asked, he'd almost smoked his entire cigarette already "It's _brilliant_ , isn't it?"

"That's one word for it." John giggled, he was running his hand up and down his leg.

"You guys are pretty cool." Klaus said, taking another cigarette out to smoke which earned him a dirty look from Paul.

"Thanks." Ringo smiled, he felt the desire to grind his teeth.

"God I need to dance." George said, he was stepping back and forth on his feet rather rapidly which made Ringo laugh.

"Go in, go in, I'll meet you in there." Klaus mumbled as he tried to light his second cigarette.

George looked at the other three with a manic look in his eyes, they all nodded in unison and headed back into the darkness of the club. The music sounded far louder now, at least Ringo thought, and he felt his body burning with the desire to move. George dragged Ringo far into the dance floor, Paul and John following closely behind him, and they all just got completely lost in the feeling. It seemed to come in waves for Ringo and he kept finding himself closing his eyes, or taking deep inhales for no real reason. Klaus eventually joined them again and he had the rest of the band with him, they all laughed when they saw the state the rest of them were in it but it wasn't mean-spirited. The group danced together for a while, Ringo couldn't have guessed how long it was if he was paid to. He was suddenly pulled out of his euphoric trance when he felt a hand gripping onto his arm and dragging him away, it took him longer than he was proud to admit to recognise that it was George.

"Wha-" Was all Ringo could manage to get out, he felt like his brain had turned to mush.

George just looked down at him with that devilish grin of his, his tongue running sinfully over his sharp canine tooth. Ringo swallowed hard, his mouth was incredibly dry and he hadn't noticed until now, as he simply allowed George to drag him away from the group and into the bathroom. It was a pretty dingy room, if Ringo wasn't mentally on another plane at that moment it probably would've made him gag a little, with writing all over the wall and the floor strangely sticky. The best thing about the bathroom was that it was empty, meaning George could pull Ringo into a cubicle without risking any funny looks. It was fairly cramped, but Ringo wasn't complaining, as George went to lock the door only to find it didn't even have a lock; George looked up at him with a raised eyebrow then pulled Ringo towards him, spinning him around so that his back was pressed up against the door to force it shut. Then George's mouth was on Ringo's, it was hurried and clumsy but Ringo couldn't deny how excited it made him. 

Ringo's hands ran over George's body rapidly, like anywhere he touched him just wasn't _enough_. George began nibbling on Ringo's lip, his tongue entangling with Ringo's as they began moaning openly into each other's mouths. George snaked his hand around Ringo to rub against his arse which made Ringo hiss at the coldness of George's skin. Kissing George like this would have been enough to completely wreck Ringo, but with the stimulant pumping through his body and the alcohol clouding his mind he felt like he'd be able to cum in a matter of minutes. George evidently felt the same as his breath continued to quicken, his moans becoming louder as he ran his tongue down Ringo's bare neck. The voice in Ringo's head which would've told George to stop, to be quiet, was nowhere to be heard. If the floor hadn't been quite so disgusting, Ringo figured he probably would've sucked George off there and then, but even he wasn't _that_ fucked. Their heated moment came to an end when they heard the door open, they froze in place with George's mouth pressed against Ringo's jaw, and Ringo's hand under George's shirt against his chest.

"Helloooo." A voice called out, it was John "Any chance my two faggy friends have vanished off to the loo for a quickie?"

George scoffed as he pulled his mouth off of Ringo's skin, his eyes were still aflame "What do you want, _John_?" He emphasised his name as though it were an insult.

"Ah! There you are." Ringo could hear the grin on John's face "Paul says we've got to go."

"Why?" Ringo asked in a voice smaller than he'd intended.

"He's tired, apparently." John was standing outside their cubicle now, tapping against it impatiently.

"How the _fuck_ is he tired?" George asked, his tongue was darting over his teeth again.

"Fuck knows, but do you want to keep him waiting?" John asked.

George groaned, rolling his eyes which fluttered rather strangely, pressed a small kiss on Ringo's forehead before the two of them exited back into the dirty bathroom. John gave them a suggestive look as they both walked over to the mirror to assess the damage, but Ringo still found he couldn't entirely concentrate. Ringo began to laugh, he wasn't entirely sure why, but it was apparently contagious as both George and John joined in.

"I feel so fucking weird." Ringo giggled which only spurred the other two on more.

"Didn't I tell you boys? Hamburg is the place to be." John grinned "Now let's get out of here before Paul sends a search party."

The three of them continued in their laughing fit as they headed out of the bathroom and back into the club, it had begun to empty significantly since Ringo last noticed - but he wasn't entirely sure when that was - so it was easy to spot Paul, he was lazily dancing with Klaus and another member of the band. Paul looked relieved to see the three of them, even in their dishevelled state, as a smile spread across his face.

" _Finally_ , I'd ask what you two were doing but I'm not sure I want to know." Paul said, he looked entirely normally. "Thanks for showing us around Klaus, was a real blast."

"Thanks Klaus." The three of them managed to say, John had thrown his arms over both George and Ringo who ducked slightly under his weight.

"No problem! See you tomorrow Ringo, make sure you get out of bed on time." Klaus laughed, he was clearly still filled with energy but wasn't nearly as strange as the rest of them.

Ringo gave him a lazy salute as they headed out of the club, Ringo was very surprised to see that the sky was lightening. Everyone but Paul seemed to be experiencing the same shock, moving their eyes rapidly as they tried to figure out how long they'd been in there.

"What time is it?" George asked lazily.

"Fuck knows." Paul chuckled "Morning time."

"We didn't call Brian." Ringo said, they began walking down the street to their hotel.

"Shit." John laughed "I hope he's not too pissed."

"He'll probably be awake by the time we get back to the hotel. If we tell him we've got a lead maybe he won't completely bite our heads off." Paul sounded exhausted.

"Paul, how are you so bloody tired?" George asked, his fingers were still twitching.

"I didn't take it." Paul admitted and the three of them stopped walking.

"What?" John asked in disbelief which made Paul laugh.

"I didn't take it." He repeated "Thankfully one of us has got some sense."

John pulled his arms away from Ringo and George's shoulders and walked up next to Paul, looking at him with his mouth open wide "I _cannot_ believe you Paulie!"

"What, for not accepting a random drug from a strange German guy?" Paul chuckled.

"Klaus isn't strange." Ringo said quietly.

"It could've been laced with _anything_." Paul urged, both him and John were smiling.

"So you'll let us all die but you'll save yourself, is that it?" John asked jokingly.

"That's _exactly_ it. Can't wait to be rid of you lot." Paul laughed loudly "It did look like a load of fun though, maybe I'll do some next time."

"Next time? We've got a job to do, _if_ you hadn't noticed." John retorted "Looks like my plan worked out pretty well, if I don't say so myself."

"Pretty convenient your plan perfectly aligned with your goal to get off your face." George chipped in.

"That's why it was such a good plan!" John cackled "So we had a great first night in Hamburg _and_ we have some potential info about who this dodgy group is."

"Jesus, you guys are insane." Ringo laughed.

"Don't pretend like you don't love it." John turned around to wink at Ringo.

He was completely right, Ringo couldn't deny it, he _did_ love it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TAKE DRUGS RESPONSIBLY i.e not like these boys do 
> 
> thank you so much for reading this far! ive got a vague idea where i want the story to go and id say theres probably 5/6 chapters left but god knows whatll happen on the way or what ideas ill come up with
> 
> i hope you enjoyed! once again im begging for comments they make me so happy to read (especially Tom._.nook and SittingOnACornflake ily) so please dont hesitate even if its a negative
> 
> stay safe and healthy out there!


	23. Patience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Ringo heads back to the Top Ten Club for his first shift, the rest of the boys head out in search of the strange men.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the end is somewhat in sight but im not sure thats a positive thing cause i just love writing this fic so much
> 
> anyway happy mclennon day i hope youre all keeping happy and healthy!
> 
> also over 2000 hits! im so very pleased with the attention this fic has gotten, i really didnt anticipate it at all

Paul had been right that Brian would be awake by the time they got back to the hotel, in fact he'd already left several messages at reception inquiring after them.

"Fuck." John laughed when the receptionist told them.

Ringo began to worry a little but his intoxication far overpowered any negative feeling attempting to arise at that moment, so it was only Paul who took the situation seriously as he hurried up to their room to call Brian. The rest of them followed behind passively, still giggling and falling into each other as they climbed the stairs. It was almost 7 in the morning, and Ringo was boggled at how they'd passed so much time that night and just hoped he hadn't forgotten anything important. While Paul sat with the telephone in the other room, giving the rest of them a glare which warned them to be quiet, George pulled Ringo into their shared bedroom and onto the bed. John was close behind and threw himself down on the second bed, he kept fidgeting about trying to get comfortable before he rolled over onto the next bed and nudged up against George.

"What are you doing?" George mumbled, the tiredness was beginning to sink in, his eyes were closed and he was holding Ringo close to his chest.

"Shh." Was all John said as he tentatively put his arm around George who just grunted in response.

Ringo was beginning to fall into a deep sleep, he barely even noticed John's presence as his mind was completely occupied with the rising and falling of George's chest. After managing to fight off sleep for so long, the feeling was coming back with a vengeance now. It was only Paul's presence in the room that stirred Ringo, as he purposefully spoke loudly to rouse them.

"How sweet." Paul projected, making Ringo shudder in alarm as he opened his eyes "I just got off the phone with Brian."

George began to sir now, opening his eyes just barely "Huh? Can this wait?"

"Oh I'm sorry, feeling _tired_ are we?" Paul laughed, still talking loudly.

"Paulie." John groaned "Just come to bed, we'll deal with it when we wake up."

Paul opened his mouth to speak again, to protest that they had to wake up and listen to him, but then he took in the image of the three of them sloppily cuddled together and decided against it. He kicked off his shoes and discarded his belt on the floor then clambered onto the bed beside John.

"Can we at least get under the covers then?" Paul suggested, tugging at the bed sheets that they were lying on top of.

John nodded sleepily and allowed Paul to pull the covers from under him, stirring George and Ringo who were just awake enough to do the same. The four of them then quickly fell asleep, George and John still fully dressed, as the city began to wake up around them. Despite the fact there were two perfectly usable beds in that room, the four of them remained tightly cuddled together on one of the double beds and not one of them found any cause to complain.

Ringo had been the first one to wake up on account of almost being pushed out of the bed by the other three tossing and turning in their sleep. He wasn't sure what time it was but he supposed it had to be the afternoon by now. Ringo didn't get out of bed immediately, he simply watched George sleep for a little while and admired the beauty of his face; he pressed a gentle kiss on his cheek before carefully getting up. The sight was a little ridiculous, Ringo thought with a quiet laugh, the three of them wrapped in one another tightly with an empty bed right beside them. He'd never experienced such closeness in a group of people before, especially not such affection amongst other men and he hadn't really realised the uniqueness of it until this moment, and it made him smile.

Over the next hour the rest of them gradually woke up, George was the last to which was a surprise to nobody, and eventually decided to go out to get some very late breakfast. They found a relatively normal looking cafe down one of the streets and each got a coffee to shake off the feelings left over from last night. George and John were both still barely conscious, John even rested his head on the table at one point to try and stop the pounding of his head. Ringo certainly felt strange but out of the three of them he thought he was recovering the best. When their food arrived, Paul turned the scant conversation to business. 

"Shall we talk about what we're actually here to do then?" Paul asked only half seriously.

"Go on then, what did Brian say?" George asked, leaning against his hand to keep his head up.

"Well he wasn't too happy that we didn't call him last night but when I explained that we'd got a potential lead he wasn't too pissy." Paul began "He said the best thing to do is scope those guys out tonight and see where that leads us. He was very adamant that we shouldn't get physical unless we have to."

"Why do I feel like he was only saying that part to me?" John mumbled as he sipped his coffee.

"Your reputation precedes you, John." George chuckled.

"What should I do?" Ringo asked rather sheepishly.

"Just stay alert around Klaus and that lot, they might still have some more info." Paul smiled at Ringo "You gonna be alright without us around?"

"Hopefully." Ringo said "I've gotta get there for 6 tonight to go over songs and stuff. Will I see you guys when I'm done?"

"Maybe." George said "Can't make any promises unfortunately. If you can't see us just get back to the hotel, alright?"

"Probably best I give you this." Paul reached in his pocket for the hotel room key and pressed it into Ringo's hand.

"What if you guys end up in trouble or something?" Ringo asked "How am I to know?"

"You won't." John laughed bluntly.

"Well we shouldn't be getting into any trouble, _should_ we?" George directed a glare at John "Just don't come looking for us, love, alright? Just get yourself to bed and we should be there by the morning."

"Alright." Ringo said somewhat sadly, George had placed his hand on top of his own to comfort him.

After they'd eaten John demanded they go back to the hotel so that he could collapse beside the toilet in case of any involuntary sickness. Paul sat in the bathroom with John for a while, Ringo wasn't sure how much of a conversation John could hold up in his current state but he supposed that didn't really matter to either of them. George and Ringo sat in the small lounge and listened to the radio for a while, Ringo playing with George's hair as he lay in his lap. John emerged from the bathroom after a while, his eyes watery and skin pale but he still wore his usual grin.

"How you feeling?" Ringo asked him as he collapsed onto one of the chairs.

"Ready for round two." John replied which made George laugh.

"Try not to throw up on these blokes later." George lifted his head up slightly to meet John's eyes.

"I dunno, might be a good tactic." John laughed "Hello, I'm one of Brian's men and I'd just like to inquire-" He cut himself off by making a retching noise which sent the rest of them into laughter.

The hours passed by fairly quickly as the four of them continued to joke around and listen to the radio. An hour or so before Ringo had to leave George announced he had something to give to him, and went rummaging around to the bottom of his suitcase and pulled out something that Ringo certainly wasn't expecting: a knife. The sight of it alone made Ringo nervous and as soon as George pressed it into his hand he felt like dropping it, as though it burned his skin.

"I don't think I can take this, George." Ringo said softly.

"I know, I know." George began "But this is a dangerous place, and if I can't be there to protect you the least I can do is give you this so you can protect yourself."

"I don't even know how to use it." 

"It's a knife, not a rocket." John chimed in lightly.

"You probably won't even need to use it, its just a precaution." George placed his hand under Ringo's chin then "Please just take it, _for me_."

Ringo paused and looked down at the switchblade in his hand then up to George's dark eyes and saw the love behind them "Okay." He said simply and buried it deep within his pocket.

It wasn't too long before Ringo had to head out to the Top Ten Club again; it felt very peculiar leaving the three of them in the hotel room as he headed off into the unknown city, but he just had to remind himself that he had nothing to worry about. Part of him wished he was going with the rest of them, but the thought of having to confront those dangerous men made him relieved that he didn't have to get involved. He felt the weight of the knife in his pocket as he walked and it made him feel nervous, as though everyone who looked at him knew and he worried that it was making him more of a potential target. As the sun began to sink Hamburg began to rise up once more and Ringo supposed that he'd probably have a great time here if they were only on a normal holiday, yet the reason for their trip was never too far from his mind. 

Klaus had been very happy to see Ringo which eased his nerves somewhat. They went over several songs with Klaus acting as the translator between Ringo and the rest of the group, who seemed to be growing increasingly impressed with Ringo's drumming ability. 

"How long are you staying in Hamburg for?" Klaus translated the lead singer's question.

"Not too long, a couple of weeks probably." Ringo replied, speaking slowly and loudly as if it would somehow overcome the language barrier.

"That's a shame, you're a good drummer." Klaus spoke once more.

"Thank you." Ringo said with a smile.

"You came to Germany without even knowing how to say 'thank you'?" Klaus was speaking for himself now.

"What is it?" Ringo asked somewhat embarrassed.

" _Danke_." Klaus said with a smile.

"Danke." Ringo repeated.

"The manners of the English, I cannot believe it." Klaus laughed.

They practised songs for an hour or two before their shift officially started and Ringo had almost forgotten the exact reason for him being there, all until they were in the small room backstage and he saw the band taking out the same small pills from their pockets. Klaus offered one to Ringo but he politely declined, he wanted to try and keep a level head for as long as he could.

"Suit yourself." Klaus said "But you're gonna need them later, trust me."

"How long have you been taking them for?" Ringo asked as he tried to sort his hair out in the mirror.

"Not sure, as long as they've been giving them to us. Couple of months maybe." Klaus replied as he popped the pill into his mouth and swallowed it down with a sip of beer.

"What did you do before you had them?" 

"Just stayed awake, I suppose. We didn't used to play so much, or for so long, but at some point they kind of shooed a lot of the bands off and started giving us the pills. Must be cheaper, I guess."

"Weird." Ringo was worried about pushing the questions too far.

"Actually, now that I think about it, everything changed when they got that new manager in. What's his name?" He turned to one of the band members and spoke in German. "Ah, yes, Stefan. Stefan started working here and everything changed."

"Changed how?" Ringo asked.

"Well like half of the bands got fired, it was a pretty sad time seeing everybody go like that. Then they started giving us the prellies and its just stayed that way." Klaus began fiddling with his bass.

"What's this Stefan like?"

"I don't know really, we don't see him that often. At the end of every week or so he speaks to us and drops off a bunch of the pills. Gives out a bit of a weird vibe." Klaus' attention was drawn to one of the members again as they spoke to him "Oh really? Strange."

"What?" Ringo asked quickly, then cursed himself for appearing so eager.

"Oh, nothing. He just said Stefan's been sniffing around the other clubs the past few weeks, passing his pills around. Guess he's got some business plan or something."

Ringo didn't have much time to ask any more questions because soon they were heading off to the stage, but he was at least satisfied that when he next saw George and the rest of them that he'd have something to tell them. The thought of the other boys made Ringo nervous, he suspected they must have at least been planning something by this point or even heading out to find those men. He tried his best to not think of the sight of George when he'd returned after their first night together with a stab wound, or how battered John and Paul had looked. He counted himself lucky that he at least had something to occupy himself while they were 'working', and nothing was a better distraction for Ringo than drumming. While the club was almost the antithesis of The Babylon, dark instead of light, filled with everyday folk rather than the uptight classes, Ringo felt more at home here, but he couldn't deny he was still a little nervous playing for all these people with yet another new band. He just hoped that when he looked out at the crowd he'd see a familiar face, see George's sharp-toothed grin, but they were nowhere to be seen. As soon as they began to play Ringo allowed himself to get lost in the music, and he was extremely proud of his ability to get through the entire night without any need of a boost even if his body was aching for him to rest. 

They finished playing around midnight and Ringo felt about ready to collapse onto his drum kit just to get some sleep. Klaus had invited Ringo out once again, but this time he refused.

"I'd love to, but I'm knackered." Ringo smiled, his fingers were killing.

"Knackered?" Klaus asked "What does this mean?"

"Oh, sorry. Really tired." Ringo amended "Maybe next time though."

"Next time, then." Klaus smiled, Ringo thought he looked absolutely crazed from his sober viewpoint.

He watched Klaus run up to the rest of the band excitedly as they headed off for what Ringo guessed would only be another unhinged night. The walk back to the hotel was awfully lonely, and seeing the mass groups of people drinking and laughing together only made Ringo feel his friends' absence even more. The weight of the knife in his pocket knocking against his leg was a terrible reminder of what might be happening to them right now, he wanted to remain positive but after the things he'd seen and experienced it was difficult not worry. He kept his heavy eyes peeled for any sight of one of them but he hadn't even caught a glimpse by the time he'd gotten back to the hotel. The receptionist gave him a warm greeting which he could only halfheartedly reciprocate. 

The room felt especially empty when Ringo entered it, particularly the sight of the ruffled bed covers which only reminded him of how relaxed they'd been that morning. Part of him felt that if he didn't stay up before they got back, it somehow meant that he didn't care, but even he couldn't fight off the beckoning call to sleep, and after around an hour of waiting he finally crawled into the spacious-feeling bed and began to sleep. He could hear the bustling street outside the window and it was more comforting to him than silence, it at least gave his mind something to focus on rather than the horrible potentialities he was conjuring. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep, playing for such a long time was beyond exhausting and was something he'd have to get used to.

Ringo awoke with a start to the sound of heavy banging on the door. _Shit_ , was all Ringo could think. He hurried out of the bed and rummaged around for his trousers to pull out the knife from the pocket. Was this it? He flicked the blade up and held it defensively as he moved slowly towards the door; would they break it down? Sweat began to drip from his forehead and he felt his hands beginning to shake. That was, until he heard a voice.

"Ringo you git, open the door!" John shouted and Ringo almost collapsed in relief. 

He put the knife away and chucked it onto a table before he unlocked the door to find the three of them standing there looking relatively unharmed. George was certainly glad to see Ringo, pulling him in for a quick kiss before even fully getting into the room. 

"This key situation is gonna be a right nightmare." Paul said with a yawn as he walked over to the sofa and plonked himself down on it.

"How'd it go?" Ringo asked excitedly, taking a seat beside George.

"Quite well." George smiled at Ringo, taking his hand in his own "Think we found the right guys, bought some stuff off them and followed them about for a bit."

"I bartered pretty successfully, I thought." John grinned as he pulled out a bag of drugs from his jacket pocket.

"You're just itching for a fight, aren't you Johnny?" Paul chuckled then turned to Ringo "You'd think laying low and not causing up a stir would be the best idea, then this one tries to get a deal on the coke. On the coke we don't even _need_!"

"Speak for yourself." John retorted as he tossed the bag onto the table.

"Where did you follow them to?" Ringo asked, he felt like a little kid asking their parent's about their day at work.

"Some dodgy house not too far away." George answered "Looked like everyone and their mum was there."

"So what's the plan?" 

"All that's left to do now is confront them. _This_ is the tricky part." John said.

"Well it _shouldn't_ be." George spoke sternly "It probably won't be the friendliest discussion, so we'll probably have to end up intimidating them or bribing them to bugger off."

"Oh God, I hope it goes well." Ringo furrowed his brow in worry.

"It should be fine." Paul said reassuringly "If things turn ugly we'll just get out of there."

"Anyway, how was your day, love?" George asked then brought Ringo's hand up to his mouth so he could press a kiss against it.

"Fine, fine. Klaus did tell me about this one guy, I think he might be part of that crew or whatever." Ringo recalled.

"Oh?" John sat forward now in interest.

"Well he said that a few months back a guy called Stefan started working there, and the whole club sort of changed. He's the reason all those drugs are getting passed around." Ringo explained.

"Interesting..." John began "Do you know what he looks like?"

"No, sorry. Klaus just said he gives off a weird vibe, that's all I know." Ringo said somewhat shamefully.

"Don't think we've got enough time to go after every bloke that gives off a weird vibe." Paul laughed "But that's a start at least."

"Do you think you can try and find some more stuff about him next time you're there?" George asked in a soft voice.

"I can try." Ringo smiled abashedly "Klaus did ask me out for drinks again, I could go and ask him a few things."

"Did he?" George asked almost sternly which made John laugh.

"Calm it, Georgie, he's not making a pass at your beloved Ringo." John giggled "Its just hospitality." 

"Hmm... I suppose." George's face had hardened "Just be careful, love."

"He will be!" Paul interjected "And if Ringo's gotta suck up to a few German lads to get us the information, then that's what he's gotta do." He had a teasing grin on his face.

"Well as long as its sucking up and not sucking _on_ , I guess I'm alright with it." George laughed, easing up a little.

"Don't I get a say in all this?" Ringo spoke up with a chuckle.

They continued joking around for a while before they all decided it was best they got some food before they went to bed, Ringo wasn't sure how he'd been going so long without noticing how long it'd been since he'd eaten. Paul was very adamant that they'd be going to bed after eating, but not before calling Brian to inform him on everything, which earned him a dramatic pout from John. They all scoffed down their food hastily and hurried back off to the hotel for some rest, drunkards and prostitutes were littering the streets now and they had to physically pull John away from the temptation. 

"Do you reckon if we finish this all up early Brian will let us stay for a little while longer?" John asked as they all got ready for bed.

"Depends on how we finish it." George mumbled as he brushed his teeth.

"You got some devilish plans in mind, John?" Ringo asked.

"I just think it'd be a waste if we left this city without seeing what it has to offer." John replied.

"Or _who_ it has to offer." George called from the bathroom.

"Oh come on! Are you guys not even a little bit curious?" John asked, directing it more at Paul than anyone else.

"I don't understand why you need to pay for sex when you have me right here." Paul said with a small pout, offering his hand out to John who took it gladly.

"It's not like that, it's just an _experience_. It'd be fun!" John defended himself.

"So when I asked if this is all going to end in some weird orgy, the answer was yes?" Ringo laughed.

The conversation devolved into more jokes and John adamantly trying to defend his stance, although nobody seemed the slightest bit convinced. Before they all got into bed, John made the executive decision of pushing the two beds together - even if there was barely any space between them anyway. Paul took it upon himself to call Brian, since he knew nobody else was going to do it, while the other three got under the covers and waited for Paul to finish. It was a fairly short conversation, and Paul had nothing to report when he moved into the bedroom and got into bed beside John.

"He just wants us to be careful." Paul said sleepily "Didn't say much else."

"So you didn't ask him if we'd be allowed to stay afterwards?" John asked cheekily.

"Jesus, give it a rest John!" George called out with a laugh.

"Let's save that until after we finish this job, alright?" Paul cuddled up beside John.

There was a small pause before Ringo spoke "Do we have any plans for the day tomorrow? I'm not working until 8."

"I've got an idea." John said.

"Fuck sake, of _course_ you do." George already had his eyes closed.

"I think we need to get ourselves some new clothes, else we're really gonna stick out like a bunch of tourists." John explained.

"Well that's not what I thought you were gonna suggest." George mumbled.

"Do we stick out that much?" Ringo asked.

"Well with Paulie over here in his fancy blazer, I'd say so." John laughed "Just look at your band Ringo, what are they all wearing?"

Ringo paused to think "Black?"

"And..." John urged him on.

"Shoes?" Paul chimed in with a chuckle.

"German accents?" George joined in.

"Leather!" John cried out "They _all_ have leather jackets and trousers, and I think we need to get some."

"It does look pretty cool." George admitted quietly.

"I dunno if that's really my style." Paul spoke up.

"Come on, love, when in Rome." John said "It'll give us something to do tomorrow at least. Might even increase our chances negotiating."

"It wouldn't hurt to try it." Ringo had closed his eyes now too, resting his head on George's chest.

"Exactly, that's the spirit!" John was the only one with any energy at this point.

"Alright, _fine_ , we'll go look at some leather clothes tomorrow. Just nothing weird, alright?" Paul mumbled.

"Weird? Me? I'm offended, Paulie." John scoffed sarcastically then leaned in to whisper in his ear, something Ringo couldn't quite understand and he was partly glad for it considering the reaction it received - a small gasp from Paul followed by a satisfied hum.

"Can we all shut the fuck up and go to bed now, _please_?" George said, nudging John slightly.

That marked the end of their conversation and it wasn't long before they all dropped off to sleep one by one. Ringo felt safe and secure in this moment, with his boyfriend pressed up against him and John and Paul cuddled up together beside them. The thought of tomorrow loomed menacingly in his mind, and he hated the thought of having to be separated from the other three once again, especially since they were taking a much larger risk this time. He panicked at the thought of anything terrible happening, especially if one of them got wounded like they had done last time; would Ringo even know the right thing to do in that situation? Ringo's mind was filled with fear, a voice in his mind telling him constantly that he shouldn't be here, but every time his mind focused on George's breathing or the sound of John muttering in his sleep, all those thoughts were silenced. He just had to face whatever situation came his way, he decided in that moment, and there was no use worrying about anything that he couldn't prevent.

Tomorrow was going to be an eventful day, that much was certain, and Ringo still wasn't sure whether he was more scared by the potentiality of violence or the thought of trying on leather clothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks so much for reading! sorry not a whole lot happens this chapter but its all building up to something i promise (even if im not fully certain what at this point)
> 
> every comment really does make me smile so thanks so much to everyone whos left one! honestly i refresh my inbox more than id care to admit so do a gay boy a favour and let me know what you think :)


	24. Leather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys head out in search for some new clothes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry its been a few days since ive uploaded! my sister came back home for a few days and this is certainly not a chapter i wanted her to see me writing
> 
> big huge smut warning for this chapter (sorry i just cant help myself)

The following morning consisted of the three of them trying to wake up George, who was adamant that it was far too early to get up. It took about half an hour to get him out of bed and into some decent clothes before they headed out for breakfast at the same cafe. Ringo was trying his best to keep his mind occupied, otherwise his thoughts would stray to the potential danger the rest of them were going to be in later that night. George seemed to notice something was wrong while they were walking down the street, as he slowed his pace so that John and Paul would be a fair distance ahead.

"You alright, love?" George asked soothingly.

"Huh? Oh yeah, fine." Ringo forced a smile but it didn't seem to convince George.

"You sure? You seem very quiet. Did you not sleep well?" George laced his fingers with Ringo's, not caring about the possibility of being seen.

Ringo exhaled heavily, there was no point in lying to George "I'm just scared about tonight. What if something goes wrong?"

George paused and looked ahead in thought, then turned back to Ringo with a small smile "It should be fine, we know how to take care of ourselves."

"But what about all those other times? I don't want you getting hurt like last time George, or even worse..." Ringo's voice trailed off as he looked away sadly.

"Ringo, listen to me." George stopped walking and turned Ringo's head to face him "Its not going to be like before, I _promise_ you that."

"But... But how can you know?" Ringo didn't want to bring the mood down, but the weight on his mind was insufferable.

"Because..." George sighed "Look, all those other times I wasn't taking it as seriously as I should have, but now things are different." He paused for a moment "Now I've got you, and I'm not going to lose you or put you through the pain of losing me. _Okay_?"

"Okay." Ringo said softly and smiled up at George who smiled back "Just get back to me in one piece, that's all I want."

"I think I can manage that." George moved in slowly now, lowering his voice, then pressed a soft kiss on Ringo's lips.

Ringo felt himself melting into George, the relief of having shared what had been troubling him mixed with the ecstasy of kissing George mixed together beautifully. He'd almost forgotten where they were, what they were supposed to be doing before John loudly called out.

"Oi! Any chance you two can tone down the queerness just a smidge?" John shouted and Ringo was abruptly pulled back to reality, seeing Paul and John standing far ahead of them.

"That's rich coming from you." George called back as he and Ringo hurried their pace to catch up.

John stuck his tongue out playfully in response as they continued to walk down the street in search for a store that sold leather clothing; it was surprisingly easy to find. Ringo wasn't sure he liked the look of the place but John was already sauntering in before he even had a chance to protest. The smell was pretty powerful as they walked in and Ringo was pretty amazed to see the extensive range of items they had, although he wasn't sure why anyone in their right mind would want to buy a leather shirt. The shop was empty excluding the shop assistant who sat at the back reading a newspaper, Ringo suspected that these shops weren't particularly busy at 9 in the morning. 

"So... What are we thinking?" John asked with a proud smile on his face as he walked further into the shop.

"You sure about this?" Paul asked as he sifted through some of the leather trousers "This _can't_ be comfortable."

"It's not about being comfortable, its about _style_." John hurried over to Paul's side "Come on Paulie, you'd look _great_ in these."

George groaned loudly as he stood awkwardly in the corner of the shop "Is this just some strange plot for you to get Paul all decked out in leather?"

"That thought may or may not have crossed my mind." John said with a cheeky grin.

"Why'd you have to drag me and Ringo along?" George asked.

"You didn't have to come, you can piss off for all I care." John answered with a light tone "And I seem to remember you saying you thought it looked 'cool'."

George shuffled his feet where he stood "Yeah? I _do_ think it looks cool, I just don't wanna be getting involved with yours and Paul's weird sex life."

"That's never stopped you before." John retorted proudly.

"Oh come on you two, that's enough." Ringo said half playfully and half sternly "Are we gonna have a falling out over leather?"

"Why don't we just try some stuff on?" Paul suggested, he didn't seem to be paying much attention to George and John's spat "It's just a laugh, after all."

Paul walked around the shop and pulled a couple of things off the rack - a leather jacket, a pair of trousers and some cowboy-esque leather boots - which prompted the rest of them to follow his lead. Ringo quite liked the feeling of the leather against his fingers, but the idea of them all parading around in matching outfits made him laugh to himself. After a while of perusing around, Paul headed to the changing rooms, or _room_ as there was only one fairly large one separated by a flimsy curtain. Paul pulled the curtain aside and stepped into the room, giving the rest of them an expectant look.

"Well come on then." Paul said impatiently.

"I don't think we're meant to go in together." Ringo said as he looked over to the shop assistant, but he hadn't even moved from when they first came in.

"Who cares? I don't wanna wait for us all to go one by one." Paul replied and John had already followed him inside.

Ringo looked over to George who just shrugged his shoulders, then the two of them joined Paul and John, pulling the curtain closed beside them. The changing room consisted of one flimsy chair and a large mirror, which the four of them crowded around to fix their messy appearances. They all lay their pile of clothes down in a separate spot in the room and gradually began undressing. If Ringo had seen this image in his mind three months ago, he would've found it all very peculiar - four gay men getting undressed in the same changing room surrounded by leather - but he felt nothing but comfortable.

Surprisingly, Ringo found, John seemed to be trying to get undressed out of the sight of the rest of them, by strategically placing himself behind Paul or joking around to stall the whole process. Ringo had always thought John was the epitome of confidence, but maybe he was wrong. Paul on the other hand seemed completely natural, standing there in his boxers acting no different than if he was wearing a three-piece suit.

Ringo had to try his best not to look over at George, the last thing he needed was to get an erection when he was wearing barely anything to conceal it, and he imagined the leather trousers wouldn't leave much room for comfort. Yet he couldn't help himself, his eyes drifting over to trace the lines of George's muscles, the sharp bones of his shoulders and collar bone, not neglecting the outline in his boxers. Ringo felt his face heating up and he had to turn away, busying himself with his own trousers then turning around to see the three of them stood idly in their underwear. It seemed that nobody really wanted to go first, even John who had been so excited to try it out still seemed a little conscious of himself as he stood behind Paul to conceal his nakedness.

"Don't get any ideas, John." George broke the silence lightly and it made the rest of them laugh.

"I can't make any promises." John chuckled as he rested his head on Paul's bare shoulder.

George then turned around and began fiddling with the pile of clothes, picking up the pair of leather trousers and holding them up for inspection. He passed a look to Ringo which said something like ' _here goes nothing_ ' as he began to climb into them, it certainly didn't look very comfortable and Ringo once again had to consciously pull his eyes away and picked up the leather boots he'd selected and pulled them on. They felt a little strange, but there was a part of him that thought they looked pretty cool; they were like cowboy boots with white detailing on them. It was hard to know for sure how cool they did look, because he certainly didn't look his best wearing nothing but his boxers and the boots. He didn't want to commit to the trousers just yet, he'd rather wait to have the others test them out first, so he turned around to see how George was getting on with his and... _Oh_.

George was stood at the back of the room in line with the mirror so that he could survey his appearance in the trousers and Ringo couldn't stop a small gasp escaping from his mouth at the sight. George was by far the skinniest of the four of them, so it was no surprise that he had to get the smallest size available, but the trousers fit him perfectly. The leather hugged his slim legs like they were made for him, and the sight of the black material tight against George's arse made Ringo feel like he was about to faint. The contrast of his pale skin against the leather, with his dark hair and eyes contrasting still, was a sight Ringo swore there and then never to forget. George caught Ringo's eye and smiled at him innocently, though Ringo doubted he was completely unaware of how sinful he looked.

"Are they alright? Feel a bit tight." George asked Ringo, he was turning in the mirror to try and get a look from all angles.

Ringo had to swallow before he spoke, and even then his mouth was dry "Y-Yeah they look good."

"Your boots look cool." George said, there was a glimmer in his eyes.

Ringo had almost forgotten he was even wearing them, and he was suddenly very aware of his lack of clothing "Ha, thanks." He quickly turned around to pick up his own pair of trousers as he felt his stomach beginning to stir.

Paul was trying on the leather jacket across his bare chest, and John seemed beyond excited about it. He stood behind Paul in the mirror and was running his hands across the material and Paul's bare skin, Ringo wondered if they even remembered they weren't alone.

"Are they comfortable?" Ringo asked as he began pulling the trousers on, having kicked off the boots, he could already tell the answer was no.

"Not really." George chuckled, he was pulling on the jacket now.

Ringo struggled to get them on, it wasn't the most generous material, and had to make peace with the fact it was always going to feel a little odd. The boys all seemed to make a collective decision that they had to stop fawning over one another and just get the clothes on, else they'd be there forever, and it didn't take too long before they were all stood in front of the mirror in a line inspecting themselves. Ringo laughed at the sight. 

"Well, we certainly look German." He said.

"I think we look quite good." Paul muttered, he kept fixing his hair.

"Any chance we can head back to the hotel after this?" John whispered to Paul as he began kissing his jaw.

"I _knew_ this was a kinky thing." George scoffed, looking over at Ringo for some support but he was too preoccupied looking at George's reflection.

"Oh come off it, George." John began, drawing his attention away from Paul who pouted in protest "Ringo's had a stiffie ever since you put those trousers on."

"Hey I-" Ringo tried to protest but he couldn't find the words "Don't drag me into this."

"Why are you looking at my boyfriend's dick?" George asked with a laugh.

"Why aren't you?" John retorted.

"Lads, let's just buy these clothes and get out of here." Paul spoke up, his voice was a little vacant "We're all happy with them, aren't we?"

George looked over to Ringo who just nodded to him eagerly, making the younger man grin. Paul was slowly returning to reality, Ringo wasn't sure he wanted to know where his mind went off to, and look at the three of them for affirmative looks.

"Fab, let's get back to the hotel then." Paul stated more than suggested.

The three of them didn't need to be told twice, they got out of the clothes as quickly as they could and pulled on their own without much care for how sloppy they looked. John was already nibbling on Paul's ear before they were even fully dressed and Ringo could feel George's heavy gaze on him. There was a suffocating silence around the four of them now, and Ringo couldn't think of anything to say as his mind was plagued with images of George that he'd rather not share. 

They bought the clothes without any hassle, the shop assistant didn't seem bothered that the four of them had hurried out of the changing room all looking flustered. The cold air as they began walking back to the hotel cleared Ringo's head somewhat, but walking closely beside George it was difficult to focus on anything. 

John walked right by Paul's side, whispering into his ear as they walked which continuously made Paul giggle and he playfully pushed John away from him. George was rather silent, which was a key indication to Ringo that his mind was set on a particular something. Ringo certainly hadn't anticipated this outcome when John had suggested the idea, he thought it'd probably be a bit of a silly laugh and they'd end up with some peculiar clothes by the end of it. Yet here the four of them were, hot under the collar and desperate to get back to some privacy.

The receptionist at the hotel gave them the usual warm welcome, but none of them were really aware enough to greet her back and they responded in a haze of slurred greetings. Paul had the key and managed to get the door open easily despite his flustered state, Ringo could see that his cheeks were pink, and the four of them hurried into the room. The sound of the door shutting behind them sounded louder than it usually did, and in the silence they all stood looking at one another intensely.

Then all of a sudden everyone was moving, George was the last one into the room so he was stood against the door with Ringo not too far in front of him, he snaked his arm around Ringo's waist and turned him around to face him. Before Ringo could even process the movement George's tongue was pushing against his lips, desperate for entry and Ringo was more than happy to oblige. On the other side of the room John had pulled Paul down onto his lap and they were kissing passionately, Ringo could tell by how comfortably they moved with one another that they'd done this many times before. The bags of their clothes had been carelessly thrown to the ground, and as Ringo caught a glimpse of the leather trousers falling onto the floor he let out a moan at the reminder of how George had looked in them. He wished he was wearing them now, but Ringo figured there wasn't much point in asking him to put them on just to take them off minutes later - that would have to wait for another time. 

George and Ringo messily made their way over to one of the beds, not really pulling away from the heated kiss as they moved. Ringo fell backwards onto the bed, George leaning over him with dark eyes and his toothy grin which never failed to start that stir in his stomach. George made quick work of his clothes, the cold feeling of his fingers on Ringo's hot skin made him hiss in delight, and it wasn't too long before the both of them lay naked together. Ringo was already hard, he was pretty sure it hadn't gone down since the changing room and it was aching for attention. As George began to move his hand down Ringo's chest teasingly, only hovering over his cock, a loud moan rang out from the next room; Ringo had almost forgotten that John and Paul were in there but soon enough it became very difficult to ignore. 

George didn't seem to pay it any attention, his mind was solely focused on Ringo at this moment, as he pressed two fingers in his mouth to wet them then began circling Ringo's hole with them. He didn't push a finger in just yet, he only teased the rim then wrapped his lips around the head of Ringo's aching erection. Ringo's head fell back in pleasure, feeling far too heavy to hold up as much as he loved to watch George's mouth and fingers work, his eyes fluttered shut softly. Then he strangely felt a heavy weight falling down on the bed beside him, Ringo opened his eyes to see John had thrown Paul down onto the bed and was kissing him roughly - Paul was fully naked while John still wore his shirt. At first Ringo expected himself to be surprised, to want to cover up or to tell George to stop, but he did nothing of the sort. George once again didn't notice it, or pretended not to, and began pushing a finger slowly inside Ringo; the feeling of intense pleasure coming from both George's mouth and finger just made the sight all the more erotic and he let out a strangled moan.

The room quickly became filled with a cacophony of their moans, as John flipped Paul over with ease and began running his tongue up Paul's thigh only to settle on his hole. George was clearly very impatient, he worked Ringo open a lot quicker than he usually did; it probably would've hurt if George hadn't also been taking Ringo's cock so easily in his mouth. It was messy, that was for sure, but seeing how desperate George was to fuck him just sent Ringo further and further into a state of bliss. All of a sudden the pleasure stopped, George had pulled his fingers out and his mouth was no longer around him, but a mere moment later Ringo could feel the head of George's cock pressed up against his entrance. Ringo looked up to meet his eyes, they were completely overcome with lust and he was sweating.

"Ready?" George asked gruffly and Ringo could only nod in response, even if he could think of something to say he doubted he'd be able to get the words out.

George thrust in roughly, not the usual gradual pace he usually took, and he almost filled Ringo up immediately; he shouted out in a mixture of pleasure and pain, his vision escaped him for a moment. Then he felt George's hand caressing his face gently and he was beckoned back to reality, it always baffled Ringo how George was able to be both so sultry and so sweet at the exact same time. With his eyes now open he could turn his head to the side to see that John and Paul had switched positions, John was now laying flat on the bed - his shirt had been discarded at some point - with Paul straddling his hips as he slowly fucked himself on John's cock. The sight was like nothing Ringo had ever seen before, with Paul's slim body covered in a thin layer of sweat moving itself almost dancerly. Ringo let out a deep moan in response to Paul's own, as he began quickening his own pace.

"Enjoying the view?" John asked, Ringo hadn't even noticed he'd been looking at him, his voice was rougher than usual.

Ringo could hardly concentrate, with George fucking into him roughly and spilling out obscenities from his mouth "Yes..." Was all he managed to breath out.

His eyes closed themselves once again as the pleasure began bordering on overwhelming, and then suddenly John was kissing him. It took Ringo a moment to register what was happening but his body reacted before his mind did, pressing back onto John's lips eagerly. John opened his mouth and slid his tongue inside Ringo's, taking ownership in a way that George never did, it was a strange sensation but it was definitely a welcome one. One of John's hands made their way into Ringo's hair, the other supporting Paul's hip as he continued to come undone.

"Oh fuck..." George breathed out, his hips stuttering at the sight.

Ringo opened his eyes and tried to look over at George as best he could from this angle, and he'd never seen him look so wrecked. His dark hair was sticking to his face with sweat and his mouth was hanging open absently, allowing an array of moans and curses to spill out. All four of them began to moan louder and louder, Ringo and John were barely even kissing at this point rather they were just moaning openly into one another's mouths. George had begun a brutal pace and Ringo could tell both George's and his own orgasm wasn't far away; judging from Paul's constant mewls and John's quickening breath he supposed they were close too. After a few moments John pulled away from Ringo and began focusing solely on Paul once again, running his hands over Paul's bouncing arse or his bare chest. Ringo gazed back up to George who looked ready to eat Ringo alive, he couldn't stop himself from pulling George down onto him so that he could lock their lips in a kiss. George let of a muffled moan against his mouth, no doubt at the realisation that John's tongue had been there only moments ago. 

George's thrusts were becoming sloppy but he still maintained the harsh force, Ringo began clawing desperately at George's back as he felt his orgasm approaching. No words were needed, George could understand Ringo's mind from his actions alone, as he wrapped his hand around Ringo's leaking cock and began pumping it lazily. It grew closer and closer, Ringo was ready to burst when the loud sound of Paul's moan ripped through the room; both Ringo and George's eyes shot open and they caught a glimpse of Paul spilling cum down onto John's bare chest. John gripped Paul's hips now and fucked up into him ruthlessly, chasing his own orgasm, and George began to mirror his intensity. It was all too much for Ringo to take, and as John let out a desperate cry Ringo too felt his orgasm washing over him. The collective sound of it all was pure filth, Ringo moaning as he came onto his own chest, both John and George cursing out as they filled their partner up. 

John lovingly lowered Paul down onto the bed beside him, both of them still breathing heavily, while George just collapsed down on top of Ringo and began peppering kisses onto his neck. It took a few moments for the adrenaline rush to wear off, then the four of them were merely lying across the two beds drenched in sweat and covered in cum one way or another. As silence began to slowly descend in the room, John began to laugh quietly. 

"What's so funny?" George asked, his voice wrecked.

"Nothing..." John breathed out "I'm just surprised at how well my plan worked out."

George let out a groan, seized one of the pillows lazily and hit John with it "I hate you." He said with a smile across his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i didnt at all intend for this chapter to end up as smut but hey here we are! i honestly just wanted it to be a funny little one before stuff got serious but then i got a bit obsessed with the thought of george in leather and oops 
> 
> i promise some stuff will actually happen next chapter (or ill at least try my best)
> 
> im thinking of doing one of those 30 day smut challenges for starrison when i finish this fic because ive clearly got a lot of tension i need to release 
> 
> thanks so much for reading guys! i honestly dont know how some of you have the patience to wait for me to upload more of my ramblings but i appreciate it so very very much :) all the support is so appreciated every single comment makes me smile so thanks so much to everyone thats been leaving them! i genuinely wouldnt have kept writing this fic if i hadnt gotten so many lovely comments i can't express how thankful i am ❤️
> 
> i hope youre all staying happy and healthy as always :)


	25. Initiative

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night that George, Paul and John are seeking out their targets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> violence warning for this chapter!
> 
> im sorry if this chapter isnt completely up to scratch, its currently 2am and i took a sleeping pill hours ago which im very much feeling the effect of

John and Paul had been the first ones to jump into the shower, despite John's suggestion that the four of them could fit 'easily'.

"You're insane, John." George chuckled sleepily, himself and Ringo were lying under the covers.

"I think we're a little past pretending there's _any_ boundaries between the four of us." John walked happily over to the bathroom naked.

"I'd like to keep you out of my shower time, thank you very much." George was leaning up on his elbows.

"Suit yourself, its your loss." John grinned before he shut the door behind himself and Paul.

Ringo felt pretty exhausted from the whole ordeal, both physically and mentally, he only hoped that John and Paul wouldn't be long in the shower so that he could refresh himself but something told him they were only getting started. The silence left behind was comfortable, and Ringo felt himself slipping into a light sleep as he felt George's warmth close beside him.

"How are you feeling, love?" George asked in a quiet voice.

"Exhausted." Ringo mumbled, he was curled up to George's chest. "Wasn't expecting it to get like that."

"Me neither." George smiled against Ringo's hair, his lips pressed against the top of it "John can have that effect on people sometimes."

"Hopefully that's released some of his tension at least." Ringo pressed a kiss against George's bare skin "Less likely he'll kick up a fight later tonight."

"Hopefully." George repeated "Try not to worry too much, it should be fine."

"Well if you die just know..." Ringo started "I'll be really, _really_ pissed off."

George laughed and Ringo felt it moving his chest, it was a comforting feeling he'd gotten used to "And we can't have that, can we?"

They lay exchanging lazy conversation for a while until John and Paul finally decided to vacate the bathroom; judging from the looks on both their faces Ringo was fairly certain they'd only continued their debauchery in there. Ringo hadn't quite gotten used to the idea of showering with George, or anyone for that matter, but he was far too impatient to wait for George to finish and would feel too rude insisting that he went in alone first. It gave him a chance to just ogle at George for a while, using the guise of washing as an excuse to touch his skin, so it wasn't a bad thing by any means. 

By the time they were done, Paul and John were almost asleep lying on their bed and Ringo gladly followed their lead. They slept for an hour or two before waking up and passed the remainder of the time rather idly, listening to the radio or joking around with one another. One thing Ringo learned very quickly about hanging out with those three was that there was never a boring moment, of course there were quiet times or instances where they'd just sit around talking but it was never truly boring. They headed out for dinner early enough to give Ringo time to get to the club promptly; the conversation around the table was never as grim as Ringo might've expected it to be. Perhaps they'd decided not to discuss any plans too much in front of Ringo, perhaps as to not worry him, and if that was the case he was certainly grateful but he also didn't like the idea that he was being left out of what was really going on. The only acknowledgement really made was by George insisting that Ringo kept his knife on him tonight, and that he head straight back to the hotel without looking for them. 

The walk to work was lonelier than it had been the previous time, Ringo only hoped that this would be the final instance and in the morning everything would be solved and they could head back home - or spend a few crazy nights in Hamburg, if John got his way. All in all the shift wasn't incredibly exciting, Ringo once again denied the pills from Klaus initially as he believed that if he was able to manage it once then he would again. Unfortunately his resolve failed him and after three hours of playing, and two more to go, Ringo was struggling to keep his eyes open at points and conceded. 

"I told you, didn't it?" Klaus laughed proudly as he offered Ringo one of his pills; it was more than enough to get Ringo through the remainder of the night.

It was the end of the shift where things began to get interesting, as the band collected themselves in the back room they were joined by an unknown presence. Ringo was trying his best not to get completely enveloped by the feeling of the preludin, when he noticed the figure standing in the door who was currently speaking German to one of the band members. He was fairly short, wide and had dark black hair - Ringo assumed he must dye it - and was currently passing around the thin, silver cylinders which Ringo had come to recognise as the containers of the drug. So this was Stefan, Ringo thought to himself, as he struggled to focus on his features. Klaus seemed to be explaining that Ringo couldn't speak any German to him, in his extensive knowledge Ringo was able to pick out the word ' _Engländer_ ', but he didn't seem too interested in Ringo at all. He merely offered him a tube of the pills, which he declined at first and lead to a confused reaction from Stefan, partly to be polite and partly because he knew John would appreciate it, he accepted them in the end. Stefan then left without much engagement in their conversation and the rest of the band got ready to head out for the night.

"You were right about the weird vibe." Ringo said to Klaus.

"Yeah... I don't know what's wrong with him, but hey - free drugs!" Klaus grinned, demonstrating his point by popping one of the pills into his mouth after he spoke. 

"Does he stay until the club closes?" Ringo asked in a quieter voice.

"I don't think so, usually when he comes to see us he seems to go home after. At least, whenever we head out we usually see him." Klaus explained, he was talking a lot faster than a sober person would "Why?"

"Just curious." Ringo said simply, but that wasn't the case.

"Are you gonna come out with us this time?" Klaus had packed away his bass and was currently fiddling with his outfit in the mirror.

Ringo paused for a moment and looked up at Klaus, this was the time to make a decision: he wasn't entirely sure if it was the drugs spiralling his brain into thoughts he wouldn't normally have, but as soon as he recognised Stefan the idea arrived in his mind of following him home. He wasn't entirely sure where this plan concluded, if it would just be a fruitless decision which resulted in merely finding out where he lived. Yet the idea of George, Paul and John being out there somewhere didn't sit right with him, and he knew that he couldn't just simply go home and sleep, he wanted to _do_ something - even if that something ended up being nothing.

"Oh, well... I need to meet my mates back at the hotel, but maybe we'll see you out there?" Ringo's words felt heavy as they left his lips, he was really going to do this.

Klaus didn't seem to notice any change in Ringo's temperament, he instead just listed the array of clubs that they would probably be at that night. Then with manic goodbyes Klaus left with the band, leaving Ringo alone in the room. Now was the time to act, the weight of the knife against his leg was only a reminder of the danger George might be in at this very moment. He waited a few moments before getting up and heading out of the back entrance, he looked around for any sign of Stefan but saw none, all he could see was Klaus running madly down the street with his friends, so he decided to wait. He leaned against the wall of the building, positioning himself so that when the door opened it would somewhat hide him, and lit a cigarette.

Ringo smoked nervously, he kept tapping his foot in anticipation but he wasn't sure if that was the nerves or the drugs. He'd got almost to the end of his cigarette when he started to consider going home and just praying he could get some sleep, but then the door opened. And there Stefan was, exiting the building and barely passing a glance to Ringo as he walked by. He'd gotten to the end of the back alley and went to turn onto the street when Ringo's body began moving seemingly by itself, as he began to follow him.

His mind was a strange mixture of subdued panic and wavering confidence, as he began to question his behaviour yet he didn't stop moving. Luckily at this time of the night the streets of Hamburg were bustling, meaning Ringo could follow Stefan at a relatively close distance without looking too suspicious or even being seen at all. He walked down the main street for a while before turning down a quieter road, which made Ringo a little uneasy but he just figured he'd started this insane quest now he might as well see it to its completion. The side streets were nowhere near as exuberantly lit as the Reeperbahn, which partly panicked Ringo but was also a reassurance that he couldn't be seen as easily.

Stefan never looked behind him, or seemed to even know Ringo was there, for the entire walk. They hadn't been walking for that long before Stefan came to his destination, a somewhat decrepit building which looked like it might once have been a family home, but certainly hadn't been that for a lot time. Some of the lights were on, contrasingly greatly the buildings beside it which Ringo could only assume were abandoned judging by their appearance. Ringo slowed his pace when he noticed Stefan slowing his own, then stopped entirely when he saw Stefan begin to enter the building. He paused for a few moments to collect his thoughts, then cautiously began to walk closer in an attempt to see through one of the windows.

Ringo could clearly hear an array of loud voices coming from inside, but nothing sounded especially hostile. He wondered whether this was the place George had spoke to him about, and wondered further still what he should do now. Ringo could hear his heart beating like it was in his head, and he was almost certain he was breathing louder than usual. He'd pressed himself against the adjacent building in a patch of darkness but couldn't arouse the confidence to move any closer. Then, everything went silent. Eerily silent. Ringo couldn't help holding his breath in fear that the sound would betray him.

Then the muffled sound of conversation began, rather quiet at first but then erupting rather suddenly in an aggressive shout. It sounded familiar, perhaps it was Stefan. The shout in response was even more familiar and it made Ringo go cold - it was George. _Shit_. Ringo only had a few moments to make a decision, he could either go home now or commit to helping the rest of them; but there wasn't really any choice at all, Ringo couldn't live with himself if he abandoned them all now, especially if things seemed to be getting heated, and if anything awful happened he knew he'd blame himself. In the end he decided that it was better to regret something he did than something he _didn't_ do.

He took a deep breath and grabbed a hold of the knife in his pocket, pulling it out and extending the blade in preparation. What he supposed he was going to really do, he wasn't sure, but he assumed it would be best to at least be armed. The muffled conversation had continued somewhat, and Ringo could pinpoint it to the back of the house and so he began to move carefully to get a potential view of what was going on. He ducked below the windows of the buildings as he went, not wanting to know what would happen if he was seen, and got to the back of the building which opened out into a small alleyway which ran along the bottom of all the houses. There were windows beside the back door which allowed Ringo to at last catch a glimpse of the situation.

He could see Stefan somewhat in a room that must've once been a kitchen, surrounded by a few other men who were all positioned to face the other side of the room. By moving himself, Ringo could see that George, Paul and John stood on the other side although he couldn't see their faces, only their clothes. The conversation seemed tense, it was certainly passed pleasantries, but it wasn't massively worrying to Ringo just yet. He retreated to a space which wasn't particularly lit, and remained there while he tried to suss out what to do next. From where he stood he could see that the back door was unlocked, it was left half-closed - Ringo wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not, as it meant this group wasn't being particularly calculated or that they didn't have a fear that the boys would be able to escape, should they have to. It at least let Ringo know that he had some way to get into the building, or a potential avenue of escape which he could highlight to them. 

Just as Ringo began to calm himself, deciding that he wasn't going to intervene unless it was absolutely necessary, things began to heat up again. Stefan began to shout, but received no response - at least not one Ringo could hear - which led to him laughing. Then everything seemed to happen at once: Stefan nodded his head to the men beside him who pounced on the three of them without issue, and suddenly the back door was being sprung open. Ringo witnessed the three of them being carried out into the alley, by the men with Stefan following behind with a gun in his hand. Ringo felt like a spectator of his own life, like he wasn't present in the situation at all. But he had to very quickly remind himself that he was very much present and that this was _happening_. He was still hidden in darkness somewhat by keeping close to the adjacent building, and he decided to make use of that advantage.

George, Paul and John were all forced down onto the hard ground by their respective captors, lying flat with their faces against the rough floor, facing away from Stefan who Ringo could finally hear speak. 

"It's only business boys, I'm sure you understand. Things are changing, and there isn't room for people like you anymore." He had a thick accent. 

Ringo felt the adrenaline rushing through his body as he swore at that moment to not allow Stefan to say another word. As Stefan chuckled once again to himself, beginning to move his hand to aim the gun at Paul, who was struggling desperately against the grip of the man above him, Ringo moved. It didn't feel like his own body doing this, but then he was behind Stefan easily and so was his knife. When Ringo had first been given the weapon, he'd worried he wouldn't know how to use it when the time came, but he learned very quickly that it didn't matter. He stabbed into Stefan's back in a swift motion, then another and another; he wasn't going to take any chances. In the commotion, Stefan cried out in pain and shot his gun in an instinctual act of self-defence, but it just shot out into the air.

Everything seemed to move slowly from this point, yet also instantaneously, as Stefan fell to the ground shrieking in pain and the other men faltered somewhat in surprise as Ringo's presence was altertingly made known. That was the only opportunity they needed, as George acted without a second to think, jerking his body upwards and escaping from the larger man's grip for a moment. The moment allowed him to grab his own knife from his pocket and stab it upwards as best he could. Ringo felt his vision blurring somewhat, only realising now that tears had been welling up in his eyes. George managed to lodge his knife in the man's throat, and the sight was haunting as blood began to spurt aggressively down onto him. John hadn't been as lucky, his attempted stab resulting in his arm being bent back brutally, he yelled out in pain, but he was still able to get out of his vulnerable position as panic quickly set in amongst them all. The man who had been restraining Paul abandoned his task altogether and made a dash for the gun that Stefan had dropped in his collapse.

A shot rang out, and Ringo felt the haze of the situation overwhelming him entirely as he only seemed to see frames of what was happening: Paul had stabbed John's attacker easily with his sudden release, then turned to the third man and froze for a second. George shoved Ringo sideways, making Ringo realise that the man had been looking at him defiantly. He then collapsed onto the floor, and he couldn't figure out exactly why he'd been shoved or why he'd been so easy to knock over like that. The man with the gun shouted out loudly, but his words were cut off by John launching his knife into his chest, and he too fell to the ground. That was when Ringo felt it. A sharp, deep pain in his stomach; had he landed on something when he fell? He moved his hand, which he realised he strangely didn't feel in control of, onto something warm and wet. Blood.

Not just blood, but _his_ blood. The last thing he processed was the sight of George, wide eyed and shouting something which Ringo couldn't quite make out despite how close he was.

And then... 

Nothing. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i do love a cliffhanger im sorry
> 
> i hope you guys enjoyed! something is actually happening for once 
> 
> on a slightly unrelated note ive come up with a rough plan for a 30 day starrison smut challenge which i might start writing tomorrow so if you guys have any suggestions please send them my way! i really wanna to write a broad variety and step out of my comfort zone a little so im really up for writing anything so let me know your deepest darkest secrets
> 
> thanks so much for reading once again! writing has really been keeping me sane during quarantine so im glad its providing some enjoyment ❤️


	26. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ringo wakes up in hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i couldnt leave you all in suspense for too long! of course i wasnt going to kill ringo even im not that evil
> 
> and so begins the final few chapters of this fic, id say theres around 4 more to go at this point?

Ringo regained consciousness almost an entire day later, although he couldn't be certain that he hadn't been slipping in and out since he'd been shot. The nothingness had been terrifying because it had been exactly that - nothing. His brain seemed to awaken before his body had done, as he felt unable to open his eyes immediately. He could feel that he was lying down in a bed of sorts, and that the air was painfully cold. Bit by bit he gradually arrived, making out the sound of muffled conversation quite a distance away and the noise of footsteps against a hard floor. When he finally gathered the strength to open his eyes, even though it was still difficult, he discovered he was in a hospital.

His body felt numb, barely being able to turn his head to get a better bearing of his surroundings. He was sectioned off on either side by some rickety privacy screens but he wasn't alone in the small space: a chair was positioned by the side of his bed and upon it sat a very much asleep George. The sight of him almost brought Ringo to tears, although he wasn't sure why, with his lean body awkwardly huddled onto the chair and his hair falling down onto his face. Ringo tried to speak but his mouth was impossibly dry, he had no idea how long it'd been since he'd had a drink of anything.

Instead Ringo had to try to sit himself up somewhat, using the little strength he had left in him and the limbs he could only barely control. It hurt to move, perhaps hurt was too tame a word for it; it was like all his muscles screeched out in pain with every small movement. But Ringo didn't really care, it was worth it if it meant having contact with George. He managed to scoot himself higher up on the bed, lifting up his back and resting against the metal frame of the bed, which allowed him to reach over to touch George. One of his legs was extended out towards Ringo, which he was able to brush his hand against gently but he didn't stir; waking up George was a difficult enough ordeal anyway, adding in the factor that Ringo was bedridden didn't help his chances. Ringo tried again, poking his leg childishly until George groggily awoke. It took him a moment or two to comes to his senses, as it often did with George, before he realised Ringo had woken up. His dark eyes were filled with joy when he registered the sight, he gripped Ringo's hand tightly and grinned at him.

"Ringo..." Was all he said, getting up from the chair and lowering himself to press a kiss on his chapped lips "I was getting so worried."

Ringo smiled sweetly up at his boyfriend as he felt George's hand brushing against his cheek. 

"Do you need anything? I can get you some water." His voice was quiet, as if the moment was as fragile as Ringo was.

Ringo nodded in response, still not feeling quite able to speak just yet and George lingered for a few seconds before disappearing. He returned a few moments later with a small paper cup filled with water which Ringo accepted desperately and emptied immediately. George sat back down in the chair but scooted it closer to the bed so that he was facing Ringo, he took one of Ringo's hands in two of his own and caressed it gently. Ringo had never seen George look so happy yet so sad before, and it pained him to know that he was the cause. For a few minutes they didn't speak, they just looked at one another, as though nothing needed to be said.

"How long have I been asleep?" Ringo asked, he felt that the word was perhaps a bit too tame for the situation.

"The whole day." George replied with a smile "John and Paul were here for a while but I sent them back to the hotel to sleep."

"Are they okay?" Ringo was suddenly worried as the image of John's arm being snapped backwards.

"They're fine, John's arm isn't great but that's about it. Its _you_ that we need to look after." George emphasised the word by squeezing Ringo's hand "Even if you are absolutely insane."

"I'm sorry George, I ju-" Ringo began immediately but George interrupted his interruption.

"You didn't let me finish." George laughed "You are absolutely insane, _and_ I can't thank you enough for what you did, as crazy as it was."

Ringo felt himself gradually returning back to normal, his vision was almost perfect again and as he focused on George's face he could see that he'd been crying - a lot. 

"You know what I thought when I saw you?" George asked, his voice sounded strained.

"My boyfriend is an absolute tit?" Ringo chuckled and George responded with a soft laugh.

"Its a bit dark, but..." George paused "I thought I'd died and the last thing my brain was able to do was to conjure up the image of you."

A smile spread across Ringo's face and his brows curled up "That might be the sweetest thing I've ever heard. It might also be the cheesiest but-"

"Shut up." George laughed "So what happened? How the fuck did you end up there?"

And so Ringo recounted all that he could remember, as he got towards the end the memories seemed a little fragmented; he wondered if that was his brain's defence mechanism kicking in. George had listened intently the entire time, never interrupting, keeping a hold of Ringo's hand tightly in his own. When he finished George looked a little vacant, he had to shake his head quickly to stop whatever train of thought was taking over his mind.

"What happened with you guys? By the time I got there it didn't look like it was going too well." Ringo asked.

"I don't even really know..." George began "We got to the place and told them who we were, why we were there. They seemed pretty alright at first, looking back now they were being a little _too_ nice. They told us we had to wait for their boss and so we waited. We were just sat in this dingy kitchen for like an hour trying to suss out whether we should bolt or not. Then he showed up and starting throwing his weight around, telling us that Hamburg was no longer 'ours' and that we should fuck off back to England. I tried to intimidate him but I guess it didn't go that well." He chuckled emptily at the end of his sentence.

"And then what happened? After I-" Ringo stopped himself.

"After you appeared out of the darkness and killed the homicidal maniac?" George grinned, it made Ringo relax more to see him being his usual self.

"Yeah, yeah, after that." Ringo rolled his eyes.

Ringo had cringed at the word 'killed', he really couldn't deal with facing up to exactly what he'd done right now. His body was in enough of a bad state as it was, the last thing he needed was his mind being troubled too. 

"Well first order of business was killing the bastard who shot you. Then three more guys appeared from somewhere in the house but John made quick work of those with the gun he'd dropped. I'll be honest, I was pretty useless by this point cause I was just freaking the fuck out. Paul, being the "sensible one" knew where the nearest hospital was and luckily it wasn't too far away so we just had to carry you. It was difficult, and _messy_ , but we managed it somehow. The doctors didn't even seem that shocked to see the state you were in, I reckon it must happen a lot around here." George explained, the whole time he was rubbing circles over Ringo's palm; Ringo wondered if he was even aware of it.

Ringo looked at George's hands more closely and could see the faint stains of blood, it made Ringo shudder to think of how much there must have been.

"Jesus... I really could've died then, huh?" Ringo chuckled nervously.

"Thank God you didn't, I honestly don't know what I'd have done with myself if you had." George said.

"Well if almost dying is the price I have to pay for saving your life then so be it." Ringo grinned, George kept seeming to slip into a dark state of mind and Ringo wanted to pull him out of it.

"I suppose I owe you one, don't I?" George smiled back, but it was weak and a little sad.

They looked at each other for a while in silence before a nurse walked past and stopped in her tracks when she saw Ringo then hurried off in the direction she had come from. A few moments later she returned with a doctor who asked Ringo a few questions and explained what had happened to him: the bullet had miraculously missed his organs but had still caused a great deal of internal bleeding, meaning it wouldn't be safe for him to leave hospital for a couple of days at least just so they could monitor his condition. The doctor's English wasn't great but he was very patient with Ringo, which he very much appreciated. It all seemed a little surreal to Ringo, having a doctor explain to him how he very easily could've died, and he wondered how long it would take for it to sink it, if it ever would at all. The doctor left quite abruptly, Ringo supposed he must have been busy, and the nurse followed him out. George was the first to break the silence.

"Isn't it funny how I've gone my whole life avoiding being shot, then the first time you get involved you're in the hospital with a gunshot wound?" George joked in his usual way.

"Hey now, this isn't the _first_ time I've been involved. Are you forgetting what happened at The Babylon?" Ringo protested.

"Oh yeah... Its a wonder you're still with me after all the shit I put you through." 

"I'd say I don't mind but if we could avoid my hospitalisation in the future I'd appreciate it."

"Can't make any promises, I'm afraid."

The two of them continued talking for about an hour before Ringo felt himself getting tired, which surprised him considered he'd essentially slept for 24 hours. George continued to hold his hand as Ringo unwillingly fell asleep, then he too curled back up into the chair and slept. In the morning Ringo had insisted that George went home to shower and change his clothes, not only for his own well-being but also because Ringo couldn't stand to see the remnants of his own blood still on George's skin. In George's absence a nurse came to check on Ringo, redressing his wound carefully and bringing him some water. Ringo wished he could express his gratitude properly, but the most he could do was smile and repeat the words 'thank you' as if they'd magically translate into German after the twentieth time. 

George returned an hour or so later with Paul and John beside him; John's arm was in a sling but he still moved around with as much vigour as always. Paul's face was a little battered, Ringo supposed from being forced down onto the harsh concrete. Both of them looked beyond relieved to see Ringo fully conscious, as if George's words didn't mean anything until they saw him for themselves. 

"There he is, the man of the hour!" John beamed as he hurried over to sit at the end of Ringo's bed.

"How are you feeling?" Paul asked, sitting on the opposite side to John so that their backs were pressed against one another.

"Like I've been shot." Ringo laughed and the rest of them joined in.

George had brought a sandwich and a muffin with him in a brown paper bag to serve as Ringo's breakfast, he hadn't realised how hungry he was until he saw food again. 

"Have you spoken to Brian?" Ringo asked with his mouth full of bread.

"Yeah..." John began, grimacing dramatically.

"Oh shit, is he pissed?" Ringo pressed.

"Well he's not particularly _happy_ , but he understands that we didn't have much choice." Paul explained "He says we should've just gotten out of there when we had the chance."

"Everyone's a critic I suppose." George chuckled.

"Has there ever been a time where you guys have actually done a job _properly_?" Ringo asked with a smile.

"That's beside the point." John said abruptly, making everyone laugh.

"He does want us home immediately, as soon as you're all healed of course." Paul spoke.

"That's your prostitute plan off the cards then, eh John?" Ringo laughed.

"Well..." John began, prompting Paul to shove him playfully. "Maybe they give you a discount if you're injured."

" _You're_ gonna be injured if you don't shut up." Paul stated somewhat firmly.

John tugged at his sling "And what do you call this?"

"Oh _please_ , I've hurt myself more shaving in the morning." Paul retorted with a cheeky grin.

The three of them continued joking back and forth for a while, George remaining mostly silent before he excused himself and headed off to the bathroom. A silence fell as he began to leave, all three of them watching him intensely as he walked out of earshot. John then whipped his head back around to look at Ringo, opening his mouth to speak but Ringo beat him to it.

"Is he okay?" Ringo asked hurriedly, he'd already asked George a number of times but he always claimed to be 'fine'.

"Well you did almost _die_ , Ringo." John said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, thanks John, I already knew that." Ringo dismissed his joke "But is _he_ okay?"

"Honestly I've never seen him in such a state." Paul began "And I've known George a _very_ long time. He was a complete wreck. How would you take it if it was the other way around, you know?"

"That's not strictly true, George has all the added guilt of getting Ringo involved in this in the first place." John added in.

" _Again_ , thanks John." Ringo tutted "Is there anything I should do?"

"Don't die, that'd be a start." John chimed in again which earned him a glare from Paul "But in all seriousness, he'll be fine, it'll probably just be a few days of sulky George before he's back to normal."

"Of course he'll be fine." Paul affirmed "You just mean an awful lot to him Ringo, an _awful_ lot. More than you know."

Ringo instinctively began chewing the inside of his mouth nervously, he wasn't sure what to do with all this information. Should he feel guilty? How long would it be before George got over it? Would he ever get over it? Ringo tried to imagine the situation in reverse, but he couldn't really conjure up the thought. If seeing George wounded after their first night together had upset him, he couldn't even imagine what George being hospitalised would feel like. Not only that, but the thought of having to carry George to hospital, not knowing whether he was going to live or not. It made Ringo shudder, maybe it was best not to think about it. 

Almost on cue George returned, he stopped before sitting down and looked at the three of them individually with a suspicious look in his eye; as if the silence upon his entrance wasn't enough of a giveaway. 

"You been talking about me?" George asked, squinting his eyes as he sat back down in the chair.

"Are we not allowed to?" John quipped.

"Suppose not. What were you talking about?" George sounded a little defensive, and it hurt Ringo to see that he must've been somewhat ashamed about how he felt.

"I just wanted to know if you were alright, love." Ringo reached out his hand for George's.

"I'm _fine_ , how many times do I have to say it? I'd appreciate it if we could focus on the one of us who's in hospital right now, if you don't mind." George furrowed his brows slightly but still accepted Ringo's hand with the gentleness that he always did.

"I'd _love_ to talk about something else, personally." Ringo smiled meekly.

And so the conversation moved on, beyond any reference to Ringo's near-death experience or the strange type of grief that George was battling. The three of them stayed far longer than Ringo ever would've expected them to, he even urged them not to feel like they had to stay just to please him which he was playfully berated for.

At one point Paul and John left to get lunch for the four of them, but even when Ringo and George were alone they tiptoed around the elephant in the room. George was clearly hurting, but what seemed to be paining him most was that he chastised himself for letting his feelings be known when Ringo was in such a bad state. Ringo tried his best to keep everything light, George even apologised a few times when he felt himself drifting inwardly, and it pained Ringo more than any physical injury could. John and Paul returned triumphantly with a newspaper, thinking it'd give them something to pass the time with as they tried to decipher the language sometimes astutely, other times ridiculously. When it came time for dinner, Ringo insisted that they all went somewhere nice while he enjoyed the bland food that the hospital provided for him; reluctantly they left and George was the only one to return. John and Paul had decided it was best to use this 'alone time' to their advantage, which Ringo didn't fault them for at all. Night fell, and as much as Ringo had tried to convince George to go back to the hotel to sleep, he refused; it got to a point where George swore that if Ringo asked him again he wouldn't speak to him until they got back to England - as much as Ringo knew he wasn't being entirely serious, he knew it at least showed how stubborn George was going to be about it. 

The following day past by fairly uneventfully, George hardly ever leaving Ringo's side unless he absolutely had to with John and Paul arriving and departing throughout the day. On the third day, John and Paul arrived in the evening with a guest.

"Ringo!" A thick German accent called out, it was Klaus.

Ringo had completely forgotten that he'd ever told Klaus what hotel he was staying at, but apparently he had. Klaus then left a message after Ringo didn't show up to work, for obvious reasons, and asked him to call him up. The receptionist had passed the message onto Paul and John who decided it wouldn't do any harm to let Klaus know that Ringo had been shot, after all he seemed harmless enough. George didn't seem too pleased to see him, whether it was because he thought John and Paul had made a potentially dangerous decision or whether he just didn't like Klaus.

"You got shot, that's insane!" Klaus was as excitable as ever "I'm so glad you're okay. We missed you at the club, the band told me to send their love."

Ringo smiled "That's very sweet."

"I guess you ended up getting the proper Hamburg experience, yeah? Hopefully it hasn't scared you off." Klaus said with a laugh.

"Well I'll probably be heading back to England when I'm better." Ringo explained.

"That's too bad." Klaus frowned "But hey, if you're ever back in Hamburg you'll look me up, yeah?"

"Of course I will." Ringo smiled, although he wasn't sure if he'd be coming back any time soon.

Klaus didn't stay for too long, Ringo gathered that he felt like he was overstaying his welcome somewhat and he departed with a warm goodbye. After John and Paul had retired back to the hotel, the same doctor came to check up on Ringo and proposed that he'd probably be able to leave in the morning. The news was pure music to Ringo's ears, he'd always hated being stuck in hospital as a kid and he didn't enjoy it any more as an adult. Granted, having George by his side day after day made it far more palatable, but he'd never enjoyed being the centre of attention for too long. George seemed rather excited at the prospect too, Ringo imagined it wasn't helping his guilt too much seeing him in a hospital bed constantly. Ringo just wanted things to go back to normal, but he wasn't too certain that his life really had a _normal_ anymore.

It amused Ringo to think about the cyclical nature of it all, with George attacking Ringo's mugger all that time ago and now with Ringo defending George from his attacker. It certainly wasn't how most relationships go, he knew that for sure, but the excitement was just one of many appealing aspects of their dynamic - even if it did border on frightening and life threatening at times. Ringo just hoped that this would be the last incident for a long time, and he assumed that Brian wouldn't be rushing to find a new job for the four of them considering how this one had turned out.

When the morning came so did the doctor, and Ringo was very pleased to hear that he was well enough to go home. He advised that he avoided any strenuous activity for a long time and that every week or so he should go to a hospital in England to check on the healing process. And like that it was over, still feeling as surreal as it had when he'd woken up in that bed. 

George had held Ringo's hand tightly from the moment he'd helped him out of bed, all the way back to the hotel - he'd suggested they got a taxi rather than walked, but Ringo wanted to breathe in the fresh air and wake his legs up properly. When they got back to their room, John and Paul were sleeping soundly on the bed, cuddled up close. It made Ringo smile to see it, and as much as he could still feel a slight sting whenever he moved from the wound, if that was what he had to suffer through to preserve this then he'd do it again in a heartbeat.

He didn't want to dwell on the possibilities of what would've happened if he hadn't been there, instead he tried to focus on the positives. Here the four of them were, with a little wear and tear but very much alive. Alive and _happy_ , and that was all that really mattered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know its a little unrealistic for ringo to have been shot in such a miraculous way that no organs were punctured or bones shattered but its my story and i say what goes and this was never meant to be an angst fic
> 
> thanks yet again for reading! youre probably all getting sick of me saying this every chapter (if youre even reading the notes) but i really do appreciate it so so much as much as id like to think id have continued writing this if it didnt get any attention, i know that isnt the case, so again THANK YOU ❤️
> 
> i may even begin writing a chapter for the 30 day smut challenge tomorow, i wont reveal all the prompts i have in mind because i love a good surprise and i dont want anything set in stone so you guys can still request stuff while im uploading it!
> 
> once again i hope youre all keeping well and very safe :) im not sure what the situation is in everyones respective countries but here in the uk everything is a bit of a mess, so im very thankful that i found something to occupy my time with something people seem to be enjoying!
> 
> ive been stuck in the house for almost 4 months now and ive only been going outside to buy food or to walk my dog (i even missed celebrating my 2 year anniversary with my boyfriend because of bloody corona) and writing this has very much stopped me from going absolutely insane so thank you for joining me for the ride ❤️


	27. Departure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys spend their final day in Hamburg.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i think this might be the penultimate chapter! although i may write another 2 im not too sure at the moment

At first George suggested waking John and Paul up so that they could all go out to get some breakfast together, but Ringo thought they looked so peaceful that disturbing them was out of the question. Instead Ringo decided to make the most of their shared bedroom considering they'd be heading home soon, and crawled into the next bed and beckoned George to join him. John stirred a little with their movements but remained asleep, his arm loosely wrapped around Paul. Even though Ringo had spent most of the last three days sleeping, the comfort and familiarity of lying with the three of them meant he was asleep in a matter of minutes. George held Ringo tighter than he usually did, as if he was at risk of slipping away while he slept, which was yet another sign to Ringo that George was still struggling.

Ringo had been suffering with disturbing dreams since the incident, nightmares would've been a more accurate way to describe them, yet he hadn't made any mention of them lest the boys become even more worried about him. Oftentimes they would begin with the final moments he remembered after being shot before he passed out: the searing pain in his stomach and the wet blood on his hand. George's face was warped in terror, his skin pale and eyes wide, with an expression that Ringo hoped he'd never have to see again. Then it could go a number of ways, the first night he'd dreamt about bleeding out on the cold concrete seeing nothing but the night sky above him; the second night his brain tried to reconstruct George's story of the three of them trying to carry him to the hospital, their hands getting covered in his blood and tears streaming down their face; but the third night had been the most unsettling. It started as the previous ones had done except this time George wasn't distraught, instead he stood above Ringo with a cold expression, later to be joined by Paul and John who just stared down at him while he bled out. It felt unbelievably real, as the worst nightmares often do, and Ringo tried to call out desperately for George but he didn't react. The three of them began to leave but halted when Ringo screamed out for help, leading George to pick up the gun from the floor to aim it at Ringo's head. Ringo then began to cry, reduced to a babbling mess as he felt his life slowly seeping out of him. Before George pulled the trigger, he spat onto the ground next to his dying boyfriend then spoke a single word.

"Pathetic." He said, almost a whisper and twisted with disgust.

Then he pulled the trigger. 

Ringo had awoken with a start when he'd had that dream, he was sweating all over and felt an unshakeable panic. George hadn't stirred in his seat where he slept, it was almost impossible to wake him from a deep sleep, but the sight of his peaceful slumber allowed Ringo to calm down easily. 

Sleeping now in their hotel room, Ringo managed to shake off the haunting images for a while but he couldn't help tossing and turning as he slept. The four of them lay asleep until the early afternoon, and Paul had been the first to wake. He didn't notice Ringo in the bed beside him at first, it wasn't until he opened the curtains and turned back to face the room when he saw him sleeping. Immediately Paul woke John, which was a task in itself, who protested the rude awakening until he realised the reason for it. Paul hadn't wanted to wake Ringo, he figured he could do with the rest, but John couldn't contain his excitement that he was finally out of the hospital; he wrapped his arms around Ringo tightly and began chanting his name loudly, rolling him back and forth gently. It wasn't what Ringo was expecting to wake up to, but there are definitely worst things to see first thing than John's beaming smile. Ringo began to laugh as John continued his shenanigans, but had to push him away when he felt pain growing in his stomach.

"You'll send him back to hospital acting like that." Paul chuckled as John rolled away.

"Not our Ringo, he's invincible!" John was the happiest Ringo had seen him for a while, and it warmed his heart.

"Time for a celebratory breakfast?" Paul suggested as he searched the floor for some clothes.

"Everything's a celebration to you, isn't it Paul?" Ringo asked with a grin.

"Is that a bad thing?" Paul retorted with a smile.

As they often did, they had to make multiple attempts to wake George up. Ringo always tried at first by pressing a soft kiss on his lips, cheek or forehead and whispering his name but it almost never worked; that wasn't going to stop Ringo from trying though. Ringo had thought that George looked a little unsettled as he slept, his brows knitting together, but he wasn't sure if he was having a nightmare or his body was trying to fight waking up. Ringo hoped it was the latter, he dreaded to think that George had been suffering in his sleep just as he had been. In the end it took John ripping the covers off the bed and thumping George with a pillow several times before his eyes even began to open, he looked a little startled but settled down immediately. 

They headed out to the same cafe they'd been frequenting since they arrived in Hamburg and each ordered a fry up; Ringo felt like he hadn't eaten properly for a week and gobbled down his food happily. George didn't seem to have much an appetite, which was uncharacteristic, but he claimed it was because he'd only just woken up. Ringo had been more than happy to help him clear his plate, the sight seemed to cheer George up. While they ate Paul revealed that Brian had asked him to get Ringo to call him as soon as possible.

"So you should probably give him a ring when we're back at the hotel." Paul explained between mouthfuls.

"God I hope he isn't mad." Ringo said anxiously.

"If you can survive a gunshot, I think you can survive a telling off from Brian." John chuckled.

"He probably won't tell you off, just wants to see that you're alright." George explained.

Ringo couldn't help feeling a little nervous but he tried not to show it, he didn't want to ruin the pleasant atmosphere. George slowly seemed to be getting back to his normal self, Ringo supposed that being out of that hospital bed was already a huge step in the right direction, but he was still a little distant. Paul and John didn't seem to be taking much notice of it, but Ringo wondered whether they'd merely gotten used to George being like this or whether they didn't pick up on the same subtleties that he did. After finishing their food and sitting around chatting for a while they headed back to their room. Paul dialled Brian's number and handed the phone to Ringo who accepted it gingerly, then headed into the bedroom with John to give him some privacy. George sat beside Ringo but kept enough distance so that it didn't look like he was hovering over him.

"Hello?" Brian's voice spoke through the phone.

"Hi Brian, it's Ringo." Ringo replied, wishing he'd cleared his throat before he spoke.

"Oh Ringo, what a relief!" Brian shifted away from his more professional tone of voice "How are you doing?"

"Not too bad, just very lucky to be alive I suppose." 

" _Very_ lucky. My heart dropped when I heard the news, I'm so very glad that you're alright."

"Thank you..."

"Paul told me everything that happened and I just want you to hear from me first that you haven't done _anything_ wrong. Granted the whole situation could've gone a lot better, or even a lot worse considering the risk you took, but there's not much use dwelling on that now, is there?"

"I suppose not." Ringo couldn't help feeling a little on edge despite Brian's warm tone.

"I mostly wanted just wanted to ensure that you were okay. I partly blame myself of course, but I suppose in the end it was a positive that you were there or else-" He paused "Have you given any thought to when you might come home?"

"Oh... Not really." Ringo stopped to think about John's burning desire to stay in Hamburg but he didn't suppose there was much use now "As soon as possible I suppose." He looked over at George who just nodded.

"Splendid, I do think that's for the best. Hopefully this is the last we hear from those rotten lot, but its probably in your best interest to get you out of harm's way."

Ringo couldn't help but be amused by the fact that they'd been sent here for that very same reason, to avoid the Chapman group "Sounds good to me."

"I can get a flight sorted for tomorrow morning, does that work for you?"

"Very much so."

"Lovely, well I'll make the arrangements and let you know the information.

"Thanks Brian."

"Oh and Ringo?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you." Brian paused for a moment, he sounded a little emotional "Those boys are very special to me, so _thank you_."

"Of course." Ringo felt a little taken aback and he heard Brian clearing his throat.

"Well goodbye, I'll ring up in a few hours or so."

"Bye Brian."

Ringo put the phone down and stared at it for a few moments, before he turned over to George who looked at him with a curious expression as if to say 'well?'.

"I think he was about to cry." Ringo explained, scooting up the sofa to rest his head on George's shoulder.

"Really?" George rested his head against Ringo's "Why?"

"The thought of losing you." Ringo said simply and George just made a quiet noise in response.

Unexpectedly, John hadn't been too pleased to hear that they had to leave tomorrow morning but he understood the reasoning behind it. Part of him wanted to suggest a crazy final night in Hamburg but he didn't suppose Ringo was in the best state for anything of the sort - as much as Ringo would probably deny it. Paul seemed very relieved, Ringo hadn't suspect that he'd been too shaken up about the whole situation but Paul had always been the best at hiding his worries for the sake of others. They decided that even if Ringo had to take it easy, they could still make the most of their final night in Hamburg. And so they went sightseeing, walking down the beautiful lakes and walking through the scenic parks; George always seemed his happiness when surrounded by nature and so he walked hand in hand with Ringo amongst the greenery with a small smile always on his face. It hadn't been intentional but Ringo supposed the whole experience was rather healing for George, as he found it was for himself too. The four of them seemed the most at peace Ringo had ever seen them, except maybe when they were sleeping, and it almost brought him to tears thinking about how easily all of this could've been torn away.

George didn't speak too much as they walked but it wasn't a solitary silence, Ringo learned very quickly that George could be his happiest when he wasn't speaking as he saw no need for words. Aside from a few words to express their love for the beauty of the place or to direct the other's gaze to look at something, they communicated only with looks and touches. Ringo wondered if George was unhappy with where he lived back in England as it was surrounded by concrete with little greenery in sight, he then supposed whether they should move when they got older, perhaps to somewhere remote in the countryside. He began running away with the idea before he stopped himself and felt a little embarrassed to be thinking so far in the future, yet the moments he'd shared with George on that final day made him feel certain that they'd be together for a very long time - if not forever.

As night began to fall they returned to the more urban areas of the city and admired the architecture as they searched for somewhere to eat. Ringo could sense a little melancholy atmosphere growing around them as they all began to realise that they were going to miss the city, but it was somewhat bittersweet as they did also miss home quite substantially and they all knew that they'd be able to return here someday. They joked and laughed over dinner as they often did, John drinking a little too much despite their shared promise that they wouldn't be going out that night. After the waiter came to collect their plates and they ordered dessert, Ringo held up his drink to make a tipsy toast.

"I'm not one for speeches." Ringo began his speech "But lads I just wanted to say how grateful I am to have met you three, and to thank you for welcoming me as you have done. As much as we've had our ups and downs, I'd take that any day over being stuck waiting tables doing fuck all with my life."

The rest of them have held up their drinks too and gradually smiles spread across their faces.

"To Ringo!" John chimed in as he held the glass higher.

"To Ringo!" Paul and George repeated, which made Ringo smile rather sheepishly.

They all clinked their glasses together, rather enthusiastically and spilled a little of their drinks on the table, and downed whatever was left. George seemed to be back to his normal self, smiling and joking in his typical way as he secretly held Ringo's hand under the table. It was a massive relief for Ringo as he worried that his solemness had been the beginning of a larger downward spiral, and while he knew neither George or himself would be entirely over the disaster for a long while it certainly wouldn't be as big an issue as Ringo feared. John and Paul too seemed to be in better spirits, even if John complained persistently about the inconvenience of his sling, although Ringo was certain the two of them had issues they were working through that he'd never fully know about.

When they got back to the hotel, Paul suggested it was best they all got an early night so they didn't miss their flight in the morning, the receptionist relayed the message Brian had left for them. They didn't sleep as soon as they got in, instead they listened to the radio and danced for a while. It didn't take long for the mixture of alcohol and exhaustion to sink in and they all began their nightly routines. Before they climbed into bed, John rooted around in the wardrobe and pulled out the large bag of cocaine he'd purchased from Stefan's men a few nights ago.

"What am I meant to do with this?" John asked as he toyed with it in his hand.

"Bin it." Paul said simply and yawned.

"But that's so _wasteful_." John whined.

"Well you can't do it now." George was getting into bed now.

"Or bring it back." Paul added.

John huffed and looked over at Ringo as a last resort for some support but he just shrugged.

"You guys are no fun, seriously." John chucked the bag mindlessly onto the floor then walked over to the bed.

"I think we've had enough excitement for one trip, don't you?" Paul teased with a smile "All I want now is to get back home into my bed."

"Into _my_ bed, you mean." John purred and planted a kiss on Paul's cheek.

"If you guys even _think_ about having sex tonight I'll scream." George mumbled with his eyes closed.

"George, my love, I'm _always_ thinking about having sex." John winked.

"Shut up and go to bed." George chuckled lowly.

John opened his mouth to respond but Ringo cut him off "Go to bed, John." He said with a laugh.

The flight home was somewhat better than the first as Ringo had managed to adjust slightly to the feeling. The excitement they'd had on the way to Hamburg had been replaced for a yearning to get home, even though they hadn't been gone all that long the security and familiarity of home was sorely missed by all of them. Ringo enjoyed a peaceful slumber on the flight, none of the haunting images that had been plaguing him returned, as he lay with his head resting comfortably against George's. When he awoke they were almost back in England. A car awaited them at the airport and they filed in eagerly; Ringo couldn't help making a comparison to their first car journey and how now they were all nursing injuries of some kind - either physical or mental - but he supposed it could've been a lot worse.

The doorman had been very excited to see the four of them returned safely. They hurried into George's flat and collapsed onto various pieces of furniture, even though it was still fairly early in the day the travelling had exhausted them somewhat. Conversation soon fell onto how they should fill the remainder of the day and Ringo had a realisation.

"I've just remembered, you guys were meant to cook us dinner this week." Ringo recalled and George groaned dramatically.

"Oh yeah... Well I'm sure we can whip something up, can't we John?" Paul was lying across John's lap on the sofa.

"For sure! _Something_ , maybe not food." John laughed.

"Ringo, what are you doing? You save my life then torture me with that!" George grinned and Paul made a noise of protest.

After a while John and Paul retired to their flats to unpack their things, leaving George and Ringo alone - properly alone - for the first time in a while. Ringo thought he could still see a little sadness behind George's eyes, but sometimes it was hard to tell. Ringo followed him into the bedroom to help him unpack and chuckled when he took out the leather trousers.

"Talk about a souvenir, huh?" Ringo chuckled as he held up the trousers for George to see.

"I dunno, I think you've got a better one." George stood up from where he was kneeling down to root through his suitcase.

"How do you mean?" Ringo asked.

"Well I imagine you'll have a pretty gear scar from that bullet hole." George explained with a small smile.

"I hadn't even thought of that..." Ringo's voice trailed off and George noticed his morose tone.

"What's the problem?" George walked over to where Ringo was standing and cupped his hands around his face.

"I've already got that horrible scar from having my appendix out, I don't need _another_ one." Ringo spoke softly, struggling to meet George's gaze.

"Don't be daft." George tightened his grip somewhat on Ringo's face to force him to look at him "You're beautiful, love. I'll always think that."

Ringo smiled but felt a little embarrassed, he didn't like letting on that he was insecure about his surgery scar. George then pressed his lips against Ringo's softly, it was a gentler kiss than George usually gave but it still gave Ringo that same flutter in his stomach. George pulled away and gave Ringo's face a gentle squeeze and looked deeply into his eyes; Ringo always found that George's eyes always said more than his lips ever did. Then he moved back over to where he'd put his suitcase and continued unpacking.

"Now help me pick out some clothes for dinner tonight, preferably something I won't mind vomiting all over." George grinned cheekily.

Despite George's constant jokes, the meal actually turned out fairly decent and John was certainly _very_ proud of his work. Paul had bought a rather expensive bottle of wine for the four of them to share and they spent the evening as they had begun to spend every evening: sitting around chatting and laughing with one another, not wanting to be anywhere or with anyone else. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks so much for reading! again it's not a majorly eventful chapter but its time for some nice relaxation after everything that's happened
> 
> i hope youre all staying safe and healthy wherever you are ♥️ cant thank you all enough for support of this work its really made me so very happy :)


	28. "Matrimony"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Years in the future, Ringo and George get 'married'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow i really hadnt planned the ending to go like this at all (but i didnt plan any of it really) i only hope its a satisfying ending!
> 
> i finished this at 2 am so please let me know any mistakes you notice (especially if the whole chapter is a mistake)
> 
> also a big thank you to Tom._.Nook who helped me figure out an idea for this chapter! its not exactly the suggestion you had but it really helped me figure out this one so thank you ♥️

"So what do you think?" Ringo asked, lowering the paper he was holding down to his side.

"It's good." Paul said simply, he was busying himself with a sandwich and Ringo was worried he hadn't really been listening.

"Are you sure you can't put in all the sexy bits?" John asked, for perhaps the third time since Ringo had started speaking.

"No!" Ringo said quickly "I only told you all that because _you_ asked, and because I'm a little drunk."

John crossed his arms and huffed childishly "Fine, have it your way."

"Apart from that... Is it good? Will George like it?" Ringo looked over to Paul, as much as he valued John's opinion too he wasn't sure he was going to be much help.

"He'll love it." Paul smiled with a mouth full of food and Ringo let out a sigh of relief.

"You could read the bloody dictionary out and George would listen." John laughed "I don't know what you're so worried about."

"I just want it to be perfect." Ringo sat back down and picked up his drink to take a large swig.

"He'll _love_ it." Paul repeated somewhat sternly.

"And hey, if it all goes wrong you can always make up for it when you have a _proper_ wedding." John suggested.

"Who knows when that'll be?" Ringo scoffed "If ever."

"Yeah I wouldn't get your hopes up for that one." Paul said as he finished off his sandwich.

The three of them had been sat in Ringo's flat for hours by this point after Ringo had enlisted the help of John and Paul for the speech he was planning on delivering next week at his 'wedding'. Technically - and legally - it wasn't a wedding but since homosexuality had finally been legalised in the UK, George felt like it was only right that they were able to celebrate their love like everyone else. John and Paul had been all for the idea, even hinted that they'd probably do the same thing the following year as long as nothing too awful resulted from this one. They approached Brian with the idea who was a little apprehensive at first but eventually he came round when he realised how much it meant to George; he volunteered to host it at his own house and was very eager to be involved in all the arrangements - which was a relief to both George and Ringo as they didn't really know what they were doing.

It had been just over four years since the boys had returned from Hamburg, Ringo figured that was a good place to end his speech because everything beyond that point seemed like a separate story: in Ringo's eyes it saw the end to him getting to know George and adjusting into his life and the beginning of their life together. Since that time not an awful lot had really changed except for Brian treating the four of them as an inseparable unit, Ringo was no longer set to the side or given an individual job, instead they always worked together and nothing - at least nothing too major - had really gone wrong. Brian had also decided to stop sending the boys out on more diplomatic tasks, Ringo wondered why it took him so long to make that decision, and instead they'd been doing a lot more physical work which was certainly demanding, both physically and mentally, but resulted in less catastrophes. 

The Chapman group had supposedly been 'dealt with' by the time the four of them returned home. Brian had requested they came to see him the day after they landed and he'd reassured them that they would no longer be a problem, which told Ringo absolutely everything he wanted to know about what had happened - nothing at all.

Ringo had convinced George to spend the evening with Brian going over plans for the wedding so that he could get John and Paul alone. He'd been writing the speech for a while and he was _very_ nervous about it, he never thought he was too talented with his words and the last thing he wanted was to look like a fool at his own wedding. Instead of trying to say anything too poetic Ringo decided he'd recount how the two of them met and the chaos that ensued afterwards since he'd figured he get could get a few laughs and sentimental 'aw's that way. He figured John and Paul would be the best guinea pigs to try it out on but he was still nervous speaking in front of them, even though they'd been present for most of the story he was telling, so the evening had actually started with the three of them drinking and having a laugh before John finally managed to convince Ringo to read his speech.

"Has George told you what he's going to say?" Ringo asked sitting in a chair opposite the sofa that John and Paul lay on.

"No, has he told you?" John turned to ask Paul who just shook his head.

"I doubt he'd tell me if I asked." Paul said then took a sip of his drink "He's a secretive one, our George."

The proposal had certainly been unexpected, and not in the way that most straight women said it was despite their husband asking for their ring size with no subtlety the week before, but _actually_ unexpected. Gay people didn't get married, they'd only recently been allowed to exist - within reason - in the past year and even that had been a controversial decision. Marriage simply wasn't something Ringo saw in his future, he hadn't particularly thought about it even before he met George but once he'd realised there was nobody else he'd ever want to be with he also had to make peace with the fact that he would likely never be married. George had seen things differently, as Ringo unexpectedly learnt, as on their fourth anniversary he proposed. They'd decided to stay in for the monumental day, George offered to cook a three course meal and had plans for a relaxing bath followed by passionate and recently legalised sex.

Ringo had thought he was joking at first when George knelt down onto one knee and held out a small box with a ring inside, it would've been a very George thing to joke about, so naturally he laughed. He figured that George had merely bought Ringo a new ring as an anniversary present and the presentation was just a silly joke but when George stayed kneeling there with his deep stare, Ringo very quickly stopped laughing.

"Are you serious?" Ringo asked in a quiet voice and George nodded with a small smile on his face "But-"

"Hear me out." George began, frozen in that position "I know we can't get married properly, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you Ringo. Even if we can't legally be together that way, we can still do it unofficially." He paused and faltered where he knelt "Only if you want to, o'course."

A large grin spread across Ringo's lips and he pulled George's face towards him so he could kiss him deeply "Of course I want to."

In the end they decided to skip the bath altogether and to go straight onto the sex which ended up feeling _far_ from legal.

The following morning consisted of the two of them discussing what was actually going to happen, Ringo had expected George to have had some sort of plan in mind but that apparently wasn't the case. 

"I didn't think much past the proposal, if I'm honest." George chuckled while they lay in bed.

"I'm glad you're taking our marriage so seriously." Ringo joked, the words felt strange as they came out of his mouth.

"I like the sound of that." George hummed as he ran his hands through Ringo's hair.

In the end there hadn't been that much to discuss, after all it wasn't as if they had to debate who was going to be taking whose name, or whether they were going to move in together. Ultimately this whole thing would culminate in a single day which was merely a display of their commitment to one another. They decided they didn't want it to be too big of an occasion, after all they couldn't be sure whether certain people might take offence to the idea of a 'queer wedding' even if it didn't have any legal standing. The conversation soon led on to who was going to be the best men and George suggested half-seriously that they did a coin flip, after all there wasn't going to be any other options beyond John and Paul; Ringo had his childhood friends but he hadn't remained in contact with any of them since getting involved with George and he wasn't sure how many of them would actually accept the role once they learned what the occasion was. Eventually they came to the decision that Paul would be George's, since they had been friends the longest which left Ringo to John, though Ringo supposed he would've selected John either way since he had been very welcoming and warm towards him - not to discount Paul's own efforts.

The next task was telling John and Paul what had happened the night before, they had to wait for the two of them to return as they had a habit of going out for the night whenever their anniversary came around - just as Ringo and George knew to vacate the building whenever John and Paul's anniversary was due - to avoid any disrupted sleep. Once they heard the two of them returning home, they waited an hour or so before going round to John's flat to break the news. Ringo was a little nervous, though he couldn't understand why, as George sauntered into the flat rather proudly.

"Guess what happened last night." George said with a grin.

"Do I want to know?" Paul asked with a raised eyebrow "If you don't let me and John talk about our sex life I don't see why you should be able to tell me about yours."

"No, nothing like that." George paused for a second and widened his eyes "I proposed to Ringo."

There was another pause.

"Sorry have I missed something?" John chuckled "You don't read the newspaper for _one_ day and suddenly queers can get married."

"Not quite." Ringo said with a small laugh.

"I get that we're a crime family and all." Paul smiled as he leaned back in his chair "But this is taking it a little too far, I think."

George sighed and rolled his eyes "I expected you two to be a little more supportive if I'm honest." He was only being partly seriously.

"But supportive of _what_? How's this gonna work?" Paul asked, his tone was a little more stern but Ringo had seen this situation enough times to know that neither of them were being fully serious.

"I dunno, we haven't quite figured that out yet." George chuckled "Look, the whole point of this is that me and Ringo are committed to one another, right? So why not put a ring on and throw a huge party?"

"Well when you put it that way..." John grinned.

"Of _course_ , John's on board as soon as you say 'party'." Ringo began relaxing now.

"We know it's not going to be like the _real thing_ , but I don't see why the straights should have all the fun." George explained "I'm surprised you two didn't think of it first."

"For that to work me and Paul would actually have to be _commi_ -" John began but was cut off by Paul slapping him a little too hard on the thigh.

Once John and Paul realised neither George nor Ringo were under any delusion that they were going to be allowed to get legally married, they were completely on board. It was all they really spoke about for days on end, and as much as it was a slight fantasy it was nice for a while to pretend that this was completely normal and that in a perfect world two men could get married to one another without anyone raising an eyebrow. One of the most exciting things for Ringo was that they had to go out ring shopping; George had proposed with a plain golden band as he figured the gesture was more important than the appearance, and he wanted the wedding rings that they selected together to be important ones.

"I've never understood the point of engagement rings." Ringo said as they looked into the window of a jewellery store "People spend ridiculous amounts of money on something to just get replaced later."

"Me neither." George chuckled "Just don't ask me how much that one cost."

George initially wanted something simple but then his eye was caught by a golden ring with a dark blue jewel; at first he dismissed it as 'too flashy' and they continued looking around the store, but he always ended up coming back to it. Ringo managed to convince him to buy it with a mixture of hardly subtle flirting and repeating the phrase 'You only get to buy a wedding ring once'. On the other hand, Ringo had struggled immensely to find something he was completely satisfied with, because he already owned so many rings it was hard to distinguish one as exceptional. They travelled all over town to almost every jewellery store before he even began to know what he wanted. At long last Ringo came to the conclusion that he wanted to find something that matched George's, for even if they wouldn't be able to tell many people the significance of the rings he wanted it to be at least obvious to those who did know, so he also settled on a golden ring with a blue jewel; it was a little lighter than George's and far flashier but it was different enough that they didn't appear identical yet similar enough that they matched.

"Isn't there a thing about not seeing the rings before the wedding or something?" Ringo asked as they headed home.

"Maybe... I think there's also a thing about having a bride too." George grinned, and with that he ended any other conversations about how traditional their wedding should be.

They decided they didn't want to wait too long for the actual day, mostly out of excitement, and so they set it for a couple of months to ensure the guests had enough time to plan and they could at least secure some decent weather - but with the unpredictability of British weather, all they could really do was hope. Brian helped a great deal with the arrangements and he even volunteered to be the one to 'officiate' the wedding, as he supposed there wasn't likely to be any priests willing to do a mock same-sex marriage.

"I can't trust Paul or John to do it. Paul will cry and John will mess it up one way or another." Brian had justified it over the phone "I simply _must_ do it, it's my house after all."

The day came around rather quickly and despite the constant reminders and jokes about the lunacy of it all, it ended up feeling rather real. Following their tradition of ignoring tradition altogether, they didn't stay apart the night before or ensure they didn't see each other until the actual ceremony, instead they woke up as they did every other morning and helped each other get dressed into their finest suit - Ringo had insisted that he bought George's for him, in a small attempt to pay back his 'debt' - and they headed out in a car with John and Paul sat with them. They drove off to Brian's house where everything was in motion, George Martin was waiting for them at the door as always and he was probably the happiest anyone had seen him.

After a somewhat luxurious breakfast, guests began to arrive. Unexpectedly, Ringo didn't know many of them but he was surprised to see that George didn't seem to recognise many of them at all. Neither of them had been particularly involved with the guest list, after all it wasn't like they could invite their parents - as much as John joked that the easiest way to tell your parents you were gay was to invite them to your own gay wedding - and it had turned out that Brian had invited essentially every upstanding queer criminal that he knew, which was perhaps a little oxymoronic.

"Well I wanted it to be an occasion." Brian smiled "You can't have much of an occasion without any people now can you?"

Ringo hadn't been quite sure what he was expecting from the whole day but it transpired like just any other day, except with the luxury pushed to the extreme. They chatted with one another, they ate, they danced, they drank, they kissed just as they would every day, but this time it was outdoors with a bunch of strangers watching. The nicest thing had definitely been how free Ringo had felt to express his love for George, something he knew wasn't going to exist in the outside world past this day, so he swore he would make the most of it. He supposed he must have spent almost the entire day staring at George, and yet he never grew tired of looking at his face. 

The actual ceremony had been a little strange, as there had been no band to play music while someone marched down the aisle - Brian painfully admitted he didn't know of a band made up entirely of gay people, but that was something he wanted to remedy - nor did anyone walk down the aisle at all; they couldn't decide who would be best suited to do it since neither of them were distinctively female, and in the end they concluded to just forget the whole thing entirely. Instead, Brian merely clinked his champagne glass, as someone would to draw everyone's attention before a speech, and everyone hushed to sit down while George and Ringo moved to stand in front of him very unceremoniously. Brian hadn't bothered to learn what was typically said as he saw no real point in it, rather he gave a fairly emotional speech about the importance and power of love to overcome strife and expressed his own love for the two of them. It was clear that Brian was already quite tipsy but that only added to the joy of it all as he proudly announced that the two could kiss, marking the solidification of their loyalty for one another, and the crowd cheered despite not having any real person connection to either of them. It was a powerful moment, Ringo thought, one that he would cherish for the rest of his life.

When it came time for the speeches Ringo went first, he supposed his choice to recount the beginning of their relationship had actually been very beneficial considering the majority of the guests probably didn't even know their last names. He was nervous at first but once he began talking about how George had showed up outside his house to invite him out to dinner, his nerves melted away with the memory of the love he'd felt for George from the very beginning and how happy he was that he was able to embrace it. John and Paul watched Ringo proudly as he spoke, though it was mostly Paul as John was almost unconscious by this point; unlike the last wedding they'd all attended he hadn't even attempted filling himself up with bread to prolong his drunkenness, instead he went full throttle and it was comical to say the least.

Ringo felt like he had been speaking for an eternity when his speech came to an end, but once he stopped speaking and looked out amongst the crowd everyone was still listening intently - some were even crying - and they all applauded as he sat back down. George squeezed Ringo's hand tightly and kissed him lightly on the lips, Ringo liked to think they kissed more that day than they had in their entire relationship combined. Ringo was very excited to hear what George was going to say, John had even managed to prop himself up on his elbow so he could listen properly, he always seemed to have a subtle mastery of words that Ringo felt he could never truly understand.

"I don't think there's much else I can add on to what Ringo said." George started, he didn't have any cards and for a moment Ringo wondered whether he'd planned anything at all "The whole reason for this day really was that I wanted to celebrate my love for this man. Whether he's my husband, my partner, my boyfriend or whatever it doesn't _really_ matter, what matters is that we love each other. Love is a powerful thing, if not the _most_ powerful thing in the world, and I am blessed to be able to experience it as fully and purely as I have ever since I met Ringo. What the future has in store I can't really say but all I know for certain is that our love will continue: for each other, for our friends, for the world around us. I think the world would be much better place if everyone loved and allowed themselves to _be_ loved just a little bit more. I want to thank you all for being here today, even if you just came for the free drinks, let's make the most of today and celebrate love!"

George sat down somewhat coyly when he'd finished speaking, giving Ringo a look which was searching for approval. Ringo pulled him in closely, both hands cupping his sharp cheeks, eagerly pressing his lips against George's. This alone spurred a few cheers from the crowd but it didn't discourage them, if anyhing it might've urged them on a little, as George pressed his own hand against Ringo's; the feeling of their rings pressing against one another's skin was one they both grew to love very quickly.

As much as Ringo didn't always like to admit when George was right about something, he had been indisputably correct that day: their love for one another _did_ continue, for very many happy years. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow and thats all he wrote
> 
> i really cant thank you all enough for reading this fic! ive shamefully never finished writing one before (my most popular one i started 7 years ago and its still not finished) so this is quite important for me! thank you all so so much for your continued support and all the lovely comments theyve really kept me going through all this quarantine craziness i only hope my little ramblings have brought some happiness ❤️
> 
> please let me know what you thought of the ending especially if the chronology jumping around is a little confusing (i thought it was cool but if its hard to read ill edit it ASAP) 
> 
> im not quite sure what im going to write now i suppose the possibilities are endless! i did have any idea for a modern stripper au, or another modern au where theyre all uni students meeting for the first time OR a vampire fic OR ringos an actor on a new film and george is the director (can you tell i have too much time on my hands?) id love to know what ideas you guys prefer or if you have any of your own! i probably only have time to write one long fic before i move back out for uni so i wanna make sure it's a good one
> 
> theres not much else to say but thank you once again :) were going through a pretty scary time in the world right now so i wanted a very positive ending with a strong message of love ❤️ i love you all and i wish you all happiness and safety for the future (and present)!
> 
> ALSO if you wanna follow my writing tumblr or request something its mithranqueersmusings (mithranqueer is my main)


End file.
